Lunder-Dineen Health Education Alliance of Maine

Lunder-Dineen Health Education Alliance of Maine Who Are We? What We Do? Our Background
In appreciation for the care they received at Massachusetts General Hospital from Dr. James J. James J.

Our mission is to improve the health of Maine residents by expanding their health knowledge and by advancing the skills and expertise of Maine health professionals. The Lunder-Dineen Health Education Alliance of Maine is a nonprofit organization that provides high-quality, evidence-based health education to the citizens of Maine that measurably improve their health and well being. We develop and d

eliver state-of-the-art health education and advance healthcare provider and citizen knowledge, competence and performance using needs assessments, innovative learning methodologies, outcomes measures, and expert faculty from within and outside of Maine. How We Do It:
Made possible by a challenge grant from the Lunder Foundation, we:
• Identify the unique health education needs of Maine healthcare providers, patients and families
• Establish relationships with Maine’s healthcare leaders to enhance and support their educational efforts and to better understand the challenges and opportunities for collaboration
• Build upon existing health education resources at MGH which includes the Norman Knight Nursing Center for Clinical & Professional Development and the MGH Academy
• Measure and analyze outcomes that are reflected in transparent, concise, comprehensive and easy-to-understand reports. Dineen and others, coupled with their commitment to education, Peter and Paula Lunder and their family challenged Mass General to find a way to improve health care in the state of Maine. It soon became clear that Mass General could share knowledge using it’s expertise in developing education programs. The Lunder Foundation is making all of this possible through a generous challenge grant with Mass General providing leadership and providing a match in contribution. Dineen, MD, was raised in Gardiner, Maine and attended Harvard College on a naval scholarship and later Yale Medical School. During his 41 years at Massachusetts General Hospital as a primary care physician, mentor and pioneer in health policy, Dineen has cared for countless patients and helped redefine the primary care physician-patient relationship. His quality patient care and his commitment to health education have inspired many, including Peter and Paula Lunder of Maine. He hopes to continue to make a difference for patients, primary care physicians and the practice of medicine through his involvement in the Lunder-Dineen Health Education Alliance of Maine.

A wonderful and informing afternoon was had by the residents at the Park Danforth Assisted Living in Portland yesterday....
06/17/2026

A wonderful and informing afternoon was had by the residents at the Park Danforth Assisted Living in Portland yesterday. We gathered with snacks and beverages. Dr Albert Abena, a dentist from the UNE College of Dental Medicine, which is literally across the street, joined as the dental expert. Dr Abena serves as a trusted advisor to Lunder-Dineen oral health programs called MOTIVATE. Lunder-Dineen’s Tara Wilson, BS and Denise OConnell, MSW, LCSW, CCM also provided instruction. Many thanks to the Park Danforth’s Jason Vaughn and his team for helping to facilitate such a good turn out and creating a welcoming environment for all. and most important for older adults who carry increased risk from dental disease when routine oral hygiene and care is overlooked. Dr Abena provided information and demonstration of proper techniques. The attendees were super engaged and asked great questions. This was the second of three workshops that we’ll be providing.

We are currently amid a pilot with The Park Danforth, whereby the staff and residents/families are learning about what they can do to ensure oral care is not overlooked and how important simply brushing and flossing each day is to preventing dental disease and thus improving overall health . This pilot was funded in part by Northeast Delta Dental (NEDD). FMI visit: www.oralhealthwisdom.com

The Park Danforth
University of New England College of Dental Medicine
Northeast Delta Dental

06/09/2026

In-person learning is where the magic happens.

Thanks to all faculty, nurse participants, graduate nursing students and health professionals that joined our team from the Peter L. Slavin, MD Academy for Applied Learning in Health Care, the MGH Institute of Health Professions and the Lunder-Dineen Health Education Alliance of Maine at our spring 2026 nursing preceptor program in Portland, Maine. Visit the website FMI on Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 programs. https://lunderdineen.org/

Check out our video highlights!

Attention interprofessional health care members:  Register for the upcoming "Time to Ask" 8-Part Live, Virtual Lecture S...
06/05/2026

Attention interprofessional health care members: Register for the upcoming "Time to Ask" 8-Part Live, Virtual Lecture Series to increase your confidence in talking to patients about alcohol & in offering them solutions & treatment! We are partnering on this pilot with our colleagues at Mass General Brigham Office of CPD.

For those in Maine, please email us at [email protected] for the discount code.

To improve the health of Maine residents by expanding their health knowledge and by advancing the skills and expertise of Maine health professionals.

Preceptors play a vital role in shaping the future of nursing. 🌟 This month, we honor those who guide and inspire the ne...
05/12/2026

Preceptors play a vital role in shaping the future of nursing. 🌟 This month, we honor those who guide and inspire the next generation of nurses. Here are photos of the recent Lunder-Dineen Health Education Alliance of Maine MGH Institute of Health Professions in person Maine Nursing Preceptor Education Program workshop last month. Elaine Tagliarieni, Melissa Mullen, Lacey Qualey and Carla Smith provided a panel session on ensuring safe transitions of care. The drawings were done by attendees to depict how it feels to be a new or transitioning nurse.

Share a shoutout to a preceptor who made a difference in your career!

Kudos to our friends at the Maine CDC for providing a fantastic Maine Cancer Coalition conference in Freeport, Maine on ...
05/11/2026

Kudos to our friends at the Maine CDC for providing a fantastic Maine Cancer Coalition conference in Freeport, Maine on May 8th. It was great to see so many of our CDC friends in person. Lunder-Dineen's Denise OConnell spoke with Becky Pearce, Gretchen Sminkey, Garth Smith, Paige Sullivan, and Angela Nile. Other attendees and friends we reconnected with included the Hanley Center for Health Leadership & Education Judiann Smith and Katahdin Valley Health Center Heidi Warman. Great to see 211 Maine Nikki Williams as they celebrate their 10th anniversary of providing important connections to services for Maine people. When we first met them, they had just implemented a texting feature. Currently, they are seeking funding to expand increased digital support to consumers so that they can actually make a referral to a service that they learn about through the program. Lastly we met new friends including the Jackson Lab’s Lindsey Kelley, Associate Director of the Maine Genomics Initiative. Reducing alcohol consumption is one option to reduce cancer risk. Our website has online learning and many downloadable resources to learn more. These are pulled from the Lunder-Dineen Time to Ask alcohol education program which is mentioned in the current Maine Cancer Plan as a workforce solution. Heidi's team at KVHC has implemented this program in their communities.
https://lunderdineen.org/program/alcohol-use-time-to-ask/

Happy Nurses Week! This week and month, we celebrate the incredible dedication and compassion of nurses everywhere. Than...
05/07/2026

Happy Nurses Week! This week and month, we celebrate the incredible dedication and compassion of nurses everywhere. Thank you for your tireless commitment to patient care. These photos are from last week’s in person Lunder-Dineen Health Education Alliance of MaineMaine Preceptor Education Program in collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital MGH Institute of Health Professions Attendees were committed to their ongoing professional development by learning how best to support and orient new and transitioning nurses across care settings. Two of the faculty members included UNE School of Nursing Joe Carter and University of Maine School of Nursing Kelley Strout.

A great way to have wrapped up   month in April by sharing this hopeful article just published in The Lancet "Semaglutid...
05/04/2026

A great way to have wrapped up month in April by sharing this hopeful article just published in The Lancet "Semaglutide was associated with a reduction in heavy
drinking days" Here is the citation and link:

Klausen M, Justesen S, Pedersen J et al. Once-weekly semaglutide versus placebo in patients with alcohol use disorder and comorbid obesity: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
The Lancet, 407, 1687-1698

Semaglutide showed robust therapeutic effects in treatment-seeking participants with obesity and alcohol use disorder and this trial supports previous preclinical and clinical findings suggesting GLP-1 receptor agonists as a potential novel treatment target for alcohol use disorder.

Sharing an opportunity for all to join a webinar on June 2nd at 2pm EDT  on the topic of oral health and cognitive funct...
05/04/2026

Sharing an opportunity for all to join a webinar on June 2nd at 2pm EDT on the topic of oral health and cognitive function brought to you by our friends at National Center for Equitable Care for Elders https://ece.hsdm.harvard.edu/event/understanding-connection-between-oral-health-and-cognitive-function-webinar

Join Dr. Christine Riedy, MA, PhD, MPH, NCECE Director and Principal Investigator; Delta Dental of Massachusetts Associate Professor in Oral Public Health and Epidemiology at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine Lisa Thompson, DMD, Assistant Professor of Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Dental Medicine

Summary: This NCECE webinar will explore the intersection of oral health and cognitive impairment. Participants will consider the impact of poor oral health on cognitive frailty in community-dwelling older adults, as well as the role of adequate dental coverage in reducing the level of risk exper...

Also at yesterday‘s Maine Nursing Preceptor Education Conference was our first poster session with nurses from MGH IHP. ...
04/30/2026

Also at yesterday‘s Maine Nursing Preceptor Education Conference was our first poster session with nurses from MGH IHP. A welcome addition and contribution to this day long conference.

Congratulations to Gerard Tobin who won the award for most years—-48–of service as a nurse 🎉
04/29/2026

Congratulations to Gerard Tobin who won the award for most years—-48–of service as a nurse 🎉

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Bangor, ME

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