Mountlake Terrace resident and Snohomish Health District employee LeeAnn Hoaglin-Cooper was recently recognized for her work in public health by the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Campaign for Dental Health.

Hoaglin-Cooper received the Community Water Fluoridation Determination Award in recognition of her determination above and beyond professional duty in promoting, protecting, advocating and defending community water fluoridation.

“I saw too many kids coming into the dental office with cavities in most of their teeth at the beginning of my career,” said Hoaglin-Cooper. “Many of those cavities could have been prevented. Public health gives me the opportunity to make a positive difference for kids and adults that I couldn’t do in the dental office.” She contends that community water fluoridation prevents cavities at the lowest cost and safest level.

In recent years, Hoaglin-Cooper has advocated strongly for dental access for low-income and uninsured individuals in her leadership role at the county’s Dental Access Committee. Hoaglin-Cooper chairs the Washington State Oral Health Coalition, and serves as a national consultant on fluorides and fluoridation for the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors. She is a member of the American Association of Public Health Dentistry, and serves on its Executive Council.

Hoaglin-Cooper has worked in oral health at the Snohomish Health District for 25 years. She coordinated the effort to fluoridate Everett’s water in the early 1990s.  She completed her bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene/public health from the University of Washington in 1982. Prior to joining the Health District, Hoaglin-Cooper worked in private practice.