PODCAST

The Wooden Teeth Show

Jake Williams

Government, elections, historical myths, webs of influence – they’re all affecting your health more than you think.

government & organizations non-profit

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Mental Health Begins in the Womb

The Wooden Teeth Show ·

2025/10/28

Our mentalhealth is impacted waybefore middle school. Jake speaks with Dr. Ayelet Talmi about the relevant influences within the first phase of life, how they impact the trajectory of a child's wellbeing, and what we should consequently pursue within public policy toimprove outcomes for kids. Dr. Talmi is the Robert J. Harmon Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in the Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and

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Finding Public Health Gold in Urban Greenspaces

The Wooden Teeth Show ·

2025/09/23

Creating quality urban greenspaces isn't just a common sense way to adapt to climate change, it produces a range of documented benefits for both physical and mental health. Jake speaks with Katrina Forrest, Executive Director of the CityHealth, about their efforts to get more cities to make this win-win-win public health investment.

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America Just Got Hungrier, Now What?

The Wooden Teeth Show ·

2025/08/26

When President Trump signed the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" into law, 2.4 millions became destined to lose their assistance in securing the foodthey need. Jake speaks with Dayana Leyva of Colorado Blueprint to End Hunger about the impact of this bill on the food security of Americans and what we can do about it.

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Why is Childcare so Expensive?

The Wooden Teeth Show ·

2025/07/22

Jake speaks with Nicole Riehl about the business challenges of childcare and how they impact price and availability for families. Nicole isPresident & CEO of EPIC, where she works with employers and business executives to advocate for early childhood investments, policies, and workforce solutions.

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The Health Impact of Microplastic Ubiquity

The Wooden Teeth Show ·

2025/06/24

Dr. Tracey Woodruff chats with Jake about how drinking, eating and even breathing microplastics are impacting reproductive health, increasing cancer risk and more. They also discuss what can be in our personal lives and in public policy to address these impacts. Dr. Woodruff directs the Program on Reproductive Health & the Environment at the University of California San Francisco.

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The Return of Yesteryear Diseases

The Wooden Teeth Show ·

2025/05/27

Jake speaks with Susan Lontine about the public health implications of declining immunization rates, as well as new, regressivevaccine policies and what we can do about them. Susan is the Executive Director of Immunize Colorado and a former state legislator.

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Applying a Scientific & Political Lens to MAHA

The Wooden Teeth Show ·

2025/04/22

Jake speaks withDr. Jessica Knurick about the Make America Healthy Again agenda. They evaluate the existence of scientific evidence that supports the movement's signature initiatives, consider the partisan and other dynamics that shape MAHA's support and opposition, and discuss the rise of Americans consuming wellness information via social media.

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How to Improve Suicide Risk Screening

The Wooden Teeth Show ·

2025/03/25

Jake speaks with Jordana Ash and Dr. Megan Rogers about new research on suicidality that has implications for how we screen for risk. Drawing from Jordana's tragic family story and Dr. Rogers' research, the trio discuss how we can improve suicide screening and save lives.

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The Stakes of the 'Medicaid Unwind'

The Wooden Teeth Show ·

2025/02/25

Jake speaks with Phyllis Resnick, co-author of a new report on the economic impact of Medicaid expansion in Colorado. They address the effects of the so-called "Medicaid Unwind" and the damage that may be caused in the event of cuts to Medicaid that Congress is currently considering.

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The Wooden Teeth Podcast Is Back!

The Wooden Teeth Show ·

2025/02/13

MARK YOUR CALENDARS! The Wooden Teeth Podcast, the show about truth-telling in politics and health, is coming back on Tuesday, February 25th, and every fourth Tuesday of the month after that.

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Polling the Pollsters

The Wooden Teeth Show ·

2024/10/18

Jake speaks with Chris Keating and Jake Martin of the polling firm Keating Research about how best to consume polling information, and they dive into some interesting recent data. Topics include demographic shifts in the presidential race, the implications of a potential open primary and ranked-choice voting system in CO, and some predictions about how some races will turn out this November.

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Illiberalism and Public Health

The Wooden Teeth Show ·

2024/03/14

Jake speaks with Dr. Sandro Galea, Dean of Boston University's School of Public Health. Dr. Galea has authored a new book, "Within Reason: A Liberal Public Health for an Illiberal Time," in which he contends that public health has strayed from its roots within the classical liberal tradition, especially during the pandemic, and should now re-embracethe pursuit of knowledge through reasoned inquiry and open debate.

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Youth Mental Health, According to Youth

The Wooden Teeth Show ·

2023/11/22

We've heard a lot from adult sources on our youth mental health crisis in recent years, but what do young people themselves have to say? Jake speaks with two teen leaders, Lily Poteet and Braeden Turner, about their activism on youth mental health. They have launched a podcast, called "The Prosperity Project," that explores issues including suicide, stress and perfectionism.

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A Field Guide for Policy Engagement on Public Health

The Wooden Teeth Show ·

2023/09/28

Jake speaks with Dr. Keshia Pollack Porter of the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University and Katrina Forrest, Co-Executive Director of City Health. Porter and Forrest have co-authored Policy Engagement, a book that guides public health practitioners on engaging with policymakers to create a healthier, more equitable world. Their conversation covers the book, along with examining the political moment in which the field of public health finds itself after the pandemic

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Social Media's Impact on Youth Mental Health

The Wooden Teeth Show ·

2023/09/21

Jake speaks with Danny Weiss, Chief Advocacy Officer at Common Sense Media.They cover how social media is impacting young people, how public policy can mitigate this impact, and how Common Sense Media is helping to educate kids and parents about how to safely navigate online platforms.

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America, We Have a Drinking Problem

The Wooden Teeth Show ·

2023/03/06

Excessive alcohol consumption and related deaths are on the rise. Why is this happening and what can we do about it? Jake speaks with Dr. Bill Burman about the latest data and possible policy solutions to address this public health challenge.

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The Survey Says ...

The Wooden Teeth Show ·

2022/11/22

This episode's truth: polling impacts our democracy and democracy, of course, impacts our health. Jake speaks with pollster Chris Keating of Keating Research about the state of public opinion polling, what happened in this year's election and what to look out for in the next one.

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Will the war on drugs continue?

The Wooden Teeth Show ·

2022/06/14

The rise in overdoses, crime and homelessness is posing a political challenge to continued movement away from the war on drugs and toward a public health approach. Jake speaks with Kassandra Frederique and Terrance Carroll about both the politics and the reality of what's happening on the ground on this issue. Kassandra leads the Drug Policy Alliance, a national nonprofit that works to end the war on drugs. Terrance is the former Speaker of the House in Colorado, and a current police officer.

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Uncovering Deep Flaws in Colorado's Mental Health System

The Wooden Teeth Show ·

2022/01/28

Jake speaks with investigative journalist Susan Greene of Colorado News Collaborative, who recently published a piece that reports on troubling financial arrangements, lax oversight and systemic failures that leave Coloradans without needed mental health care. The piece is the first in an ongoing series of reports, called "On Edge," that examines the state's mental health system

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Meltdown

The Wooden Teeth Show ·

2021/11/03

Jake speaks with journalist and bestselling author David Sirota about his new podcast, "Meltdown," available on Audible. The eight-part series identifies the anemic political response to the Great Recession as a primary driver of troubling political trends we're experiencing today, including the rise of white nationalism and the assault on democracy. They also discuss "Don't Look Up," a new movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence. Sirota helped create the story for the film, which

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