ADA to provide expert content in response to consumer questions

CHICAGO, April 25, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Dental Association (ADA) has joined forces with Sharecare, a new online resource that invites the public to submit health-related questions and have them answered by health professionals.

The website ("www.sharecare.com") was created by Mehmet Oz, M.D., a physician who first began fielding questions on "The Oprah Show" and now hosts "The Dr. Oz Show," and Jeff Arnold, founder of WebMD. Investors include Harpo Productions, which produces Oprah Winfrey's talk show, and Discovery Communications. Sharecare's goal is to provide accurate, clear and concise health information from multiple points of view.

"Sharecare's partnership with the American Dental Association completes a necessary circle in total health as we learn more and more the importance of oral health in overall wellness," Dr. Oz said. "Sharecare will provide a platform for the American Dental Association to provide essential information from multiple points of view and provide consumers with vital resources."

The ADA will be a leading resource for the oral health content on the site, which launched in 2010, answering questions and providing information about various topics. The ADA will join other top health associations currently on the site as Sharecare resources, including the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, the American Association of Retired Persons, American Diabetes Association and several leading hospitals.

"In Sharecare, we saw the opportunity to bring the voice of the ADA and dentists to millions of people, providing them with the most credible and trustworthy oral health information there is and helping them achieve optimal oral health," said Dr. Raymond F. Gist, ADA president.

The Sharecare platform not only will provide the credible oral health perspective from the ADA, but links to ADA.org (www.ada.org)  to expand upon answers and guide people to the in-depth dental health information resources of the Association.

Oral health will be among 48 topics covered on the site. Consumers can also ask questions pertaining to cancers, fitness and exercise and mental health among many other areas.

ADA and Sharecare will immediately collaborate to add ADA answers to visitor questions about oral health and dental care.

About the American Dental Association

The not-for-profit ADA is the nation's largest dental association, representing more than 156,000 dentist members. The premier source of oral health information, the ADA has advocated for the public's health and promoted the art and science of dentistry since 1859. The ADA's state-of-the-art research facilities develop and test dental products and materials that have advanced the practice of dentistry and made the patient experience more positive. The ADA Seal of Acceptance long has been a valuable and respected guide to consumer dental care products. JADA, a monthly journal, is the ADA's flagship publication and the best-read scientific journal in dentistry. For more information about the ADA, visit the Association's Web site at www.ada.org.

About Sharecare

Founded in 2009 and based in Atlanta, GA, Sharecare's mission is to greatly simplify the search for high-quality healthcare information and answer the world's questions about health.  Created by Jeff Arnold and Dr. Mehmet Oz, in partnership with Harpo Studios, HSW International, Sony Pictures Television and Discovery Communications, the Sharecare interactive social QA platform allows people to ask, learn and act upon questions about health and wellness.  The company's innovative approach provides a wide array of expert answers to each question ranging from hospitals to MDs to non-profits to healthcare companies to active health consumers, ultimately creating a community where healthcare knowledge is built, shared and put into practice.

SOURCE American Dental Association