The Five Most Popular CareQuest Institute Publications of 2022

This past year was full of positive developments in the oral health system: expanded oral health coverage for millions of Americans, initiatives to advance medical-dental integration, and new codes that will increase the use of minimally invasive care. But at CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, we know we still have a long road ahead to improve oral health care, especially in underserved communities.

That’s why we’re here — to improve systems of care for patients and providers.

As part of those efforts, we create and disseminate actionable research, analytics, and evaluations that providers, policymakers, and advocates can use to improve the oral health care system and better inform policy and financing decisions. Our research, powered by state- and national-level representative data sources, including health care claims data, integrated medical-dental databases, and surveys of health care experiences, yielded more than 110 publications that readers collectively viewed more than 67,000 times on our website in 2022.

Which publications drew the most views from our readers who are focused on improving the oral health system? Here, based on popularity, are the top five CareQuest Institute publications from the past year.

1. Americans Are Still Not Getting the Dental Care They Need (April)

Two years after dental care was disrupted for millions of Americans, disparities in oral health care persist and many are still not getting the dental care they need, according to this report based on the results of the annual State of Oral Health Equity in America survey. While some aspects of oral health have rebounded since the earlier stage of the pandemic, the report explained, several inequities persist. For example, more than half of adults (55%) reported some type of oral health problem. Further, more than half of adults with an oral health problem did not seek care, and one-quarter of them did not seek care because they could not afford it.

Spotlight statistic: For those who had not seen an oral health provider in the last two years, 27% cited cost as a reason, 18% cited the COVID-19 pandemic, and 11% said they had no reason to go.
 

2. Missed Connections: Providers and Consumers Want More Medical-Dental Integration (February)

We know that oral health and overall health are inextricably linked.

But despite this connection, dental care is still largely siloed from medical care. This visual report examines attitudes regarding the relationship between oral health and overall health, based on national surveys of oral health consumers and providers. Both consumers and dental providers described a lack of integration between medical and oral health care and a desire for increased interprofessional collaboration.

Spotlight statistic: 63% of consumers report their primary medical doctor “rarely” or “never” asks about their oral health, and 33% of consumers report their oral health provider “rarely” or “never” asks about their overall health.
 

3. Recent Trends in Hospital Emergency Department Visits for Non-Traumatic Dental Conditions (November)

This updated visual report finds that in 2019, there were 1.8 million hospital emergency department (ED) visits for non-traumatic dental conditions (NTDCs), which cost $3.4 billion to treat. Hospital ED visits for NTDCs can divert critical resources and create added stress for ED personnel. Moreover, most hospitals lack the ability to provide appropriate care for NTDCs, and the typical cost of such ED visits is much higher than a patient receiving care from a dental provider.

Spotlight statistic: Compared with white individuals, Black individuals were 44% more likely to visit an ED for NTDCs, while Native Americans were 9% more likely.
 

4. How Depression Is Linked to Oral Health (May)

A growing body of research, highlighted in this visual report, shows that our emotional state is connected to our oral health. For example, depression can be linked to poor oral hygiene, fewer dental visits, and other oral health problems. Depression is linked to higher levels of dental caries, and adults with depression are more likely to have missing teeth than adults without depression.

Spotlight statistic: Adults with poor mental health (including depression) are more likely to have one or more unmet oral health needs and are less likely to seek care for these needs than those with better mental health.
 

5. Burnout among Dental Professionals Before and During a Public Health Crisis (August)

Nearly three-quarters (71%) of oral health providers said their feelings of burnout had increased since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to this visual report. To learn more about the effects of the pandemic on burnout, CareQuest Institute conducted a survey of 377 dental providers in March 2021. In general, oral health providers reported increases in burnout during the beginning of the pandemic. However, this sense of increased burnout did not impact all dental providers equally, with differences by gender, age, race, and ethnicity emerging.

Spotlight statistic: Oral health providers identifying as Hispanic were more likely (73%) to report burnout symptoms due to work compared with individuals identifying as white (63%), Asian/American Indian/Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (55%), or Black (35%). These are just five publications among dozens CareQuest Institute published during the last year.

To explore other reports, white papers, poster presentations, and infographics on topics ranging from veteran dental care to teledentistry, visit our Resource Library.