In the News

The recent dismantling of the CDC Division of Oral Health has sent shockwaves through the dental community, raising concerns about the future of dental public health efforts and the prioritization of oral health at the federal level. Our Senior Director of Public Policy, Melissa Burroughs, and other industry leaders gave their reactions in Becker's Dental + DSO Review. 

While poor oral hygiene is often linked to issues like tooth loss, gum disease and bad breath, experts warn it can also have a far-reaching impact on your entire well-being — including your heart.In this article in the New York Post, experts explain the connection between oral health and heart disease, including a report from CareQuest Institute.Read the full article in the New York Post.

Two advocates for veteran care in Michigan are tackling the critical gap in veterans’ dental care, offering free clinics through grants and sustainable community programs. A 2022 report from the American Institute of Dental Public Health and CareQuest Institute highlights the disparities rural veterans face in accessing dental care.Read the full article in Flintside.

For individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, a trip to the dental office can be overwhelming. A new pilot program at Tufts Dental Facilities, a grantee of CareQuest Institute, is breaking barriers with home visits and telehealth, making dental care more accessible and personalized.Read the full article in Decisions in Dentistry here.

Danielle Apostolon, Program Manager, Value-Based Care at CareQuest Institute, explains the shift toward value-based care (VBC) in dentistry in this episode of The Patient Experience Blueprint Podcast.She explains how this VBC model prioritizes quality outcomes over the quantity of services, and how dental practices can adopt this approach to improve patient care and satisfaction.

In this episode of The Burleson Box, Dustin Burleson, DDS, welcomes Erinne Kennedy, DMD, MPH, MMSc, Assistant Dean for Curriculum and Integrated Learning at Kansas City University College of Dental Medicine. Kennedy shares her fascinating journey into dentistry, which was heavily influenced by her family of dental professionals and her passion for public health. 

A new article in The Islands’ Sounder highlights Jessica Dubek, DDS, the founder of DentALL, who travels around Western Washington providing free dental services. Dubek and her team are now operating the Community Dental Clinic on Orcas Island. 

A new article in Axios explains how dental care for millions of people in the US could be one of the first casualties if the federal Medicaid budget is cut by $880 billion. Fluoridated water could be on the chopping block in many communities, too. Melissa Burroughs, CareQuest Institute Public Policy Director, explains how these two policy changes could lead to more visits to the emergency department for dental care, increased health care costs, and worsened health outcomes. 

In this article from Oral Health, CareQuest Institute Value-Based Care Program Manager Danielle Apostolon dives into what value-based care (VBC) is, what VBC looks like in oral health, and what it looks like in practice.Apostolon also explains why dental hygienists are well-positioned to lead the shift to VBC in dental practices.Read the full story here.

The lack of access to dental care in Florida is reflected in alarming statistics. A 2023 report by CareQuest Institute for Oral Health found that children in Florida aged 14 and younger seek dental care through emergency departments for non-traumatic dental conditions (NTDC) at one of the highest rates in the country. The report also found that Florida hospitals were billed nearly $550 million for treating NTDC in 2021 alone.