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October 29, 2024
(Boston, MA) – CareQuest Institute for Oral Health®, a leading national nonprofit focused on creating a more accessible, equitable, and integrated oral health system, has awarded $1.25 million in grant funds to organizations working to address barriers to oral health care for veterans and active-duty military members and their families. Individual grants of $125,000 were awarded to 10 organizations across the country in California, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Washington, and West Virginia.
“Veterans and their families have given so much to our country, but many of them lack access to dental care, which we know is directly connected to overall well-being and quality of life,” said Trenae Simpson, Senior Director of Grants and Programs at CareQuest Institute. “We are proud to support these organizations that are doing the research, testing, and community engagement on the ground to provide critical oral health services to veterans and military families.”
Recognizing the unique oral health challenges facing veterans, CareQuest Institute began this initiative to improve access to care for the 17 million veterans in the US. Of the more than 9 million veterans who are eligible for medical care through the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), 85% are not eligible for dental coverage or care. Veterans are disproportionately affected by tooth decay and periodontal issues, making this grant opportunity critical in advancing oral health equity among this population.
The Veterans’ Oral Health: Expanding Access and Equity grant funding will support the following organizations:
Dentistry4Vets (California), to address system-level barriers to oral health for veterans and spotlight their care delivery model that delivers cost-effective, comprehensive dental treatment tailored specifically for veterans.
East Carolina University (North Carolina), to help inform policy changes that improve veterans’ oral health by creating a care model that employs multidisciplinary teams to facilitate comprehensive care for veterans with chronic illnesses and disabilities. East Carolina University plans to demonstrate that reduced net costs and improved quality of life for veterans can be achieved by focusing on prevention and early intervention in medical-dental integration.
Everyone for Veterans (Washington), for training dental schools and students on veteran-specific oral care, speaking engagements that focus on the voices of veterans, and advocacy for veterans’ oral health.
Family Medicine Education Consortium (Ohio), to work with the academic family medicine system to effect change in how primary care providers approach the oral health care of patients, with a focus on access to appropriate and comprehensive care for veterans.
Marshall University Research Corporation (West Virginia), to assess the knowledge gaps around veterans’ oral health access and capture veteran perspectives on care in West Virginia to inform statewide and national oral health systems change efforts.
Mercy Foundation (Oregon), to increase access to care and connections to care for in-hospital patients, advocate for increasing the number of veterans eligible for Veterans Dental Program, share best practices via a public awareness campaign, and create a hub dedicated to oral health for veterans.
Missouri Coalition for Oral Health (Missouri), to gather and apply data-driven and lived experience insights to better understand and address the unmet dental needs of Missouri veterans while elevating the importance of veteran oral health among MCOH members, partners, and stakeholders.
Missouri Office of Dental Health (Missouri), to learn why veterans seek dental treatment, how dentists can improve care provided, why dental students want to provide care to veterans, and what would encourage them to continue to provide care post-graduation.
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (Texas), to pilot a study to investigate the impact of dental care in behavioral health treatment among veterans.
Upper Peninsula Commission for Area Progress (Michigan), to conduct community forums in multiple locations across a 15-country region to engage veterans, service members, family/caregivers, dental providers, insurers/health plan providers, and policy makers regarding the state of veteran oral health care and barriers to access.
In 2024, CareQuest Institute will award a total of $13 million in grants, with a focus on collaborating with organizations that embody and reflect the communities that have historically been hurt by glaring inequities in oral health, including racial and ethnic minorities, immigrants, refugees, persons with disabilities, veterans, and tribal and rural communities.
To learn more about CareQuest Institute’s philanthropy work, click here.
Direct Media Inquiries to:
Sara Ward
sward@carequest.org
314-276-6727
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About CareQuest Institute for Oral Health®
CareQuest Institute for Oral Health® is a national nonprofit championing a more equitable future where every person can reach their full potential through excellent health. We do this through our work in philanthropy, analytics and data insights, health transformation, policy and advocacy, and education as well as our leadership in dental benefits and innovation advancements. We collaborate with thought leaders, health care providers, patients, and local, state, and federal stakeholders, to accelerate oral health care transformation and create a system designed for everyone. To learn more, visit carequest.org and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.