In the News

Following the Presidential State of the Union Address, CareQuest Institute for Oral Health®, a leading national nonprofit focused on creating a more accessible, equitable, and integrated oral health system, commended President Joe Biden’s commitment to expanding Medicaid coverage and improving access and care in the Medicare system.

CareQuest Institute for Oral Health released a report that points to a variety of oral health risks associated with the use of e-cigarettes, including gum disease, dental decay, bone loss, and hairy tongue.

A report released by CareQuest Institute for Oral Health last June indicated that there are 77 million American adults who don’t have dental insurance.

The lack of coverage for adults in Hawai‘i was part of a much larger, national problem. According to data from CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, 77 million adults in the US lack dental benefits, disproportionately impacting Black and Latino people, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders, tribal and rural communities, and people with disabilities.

Kaz Rafia, Chief Health Equity Officer at CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, joined the podcast to talk about his background, his passion for addressing health inequity, what effective health care leaders need to be successful in the next couple of years, and more. Read the full article and listen to the podcast.

Given the high costs of dental care, it’s no surprise that 43% of American adults claim they avoid dental care because of the expense, according to a study by the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health.

We need to establish a more integrated, accessible, and equitable oral health landscape in our country. In this special episode, you will hear from a leader in the field of oral health who is working to reduce disparities in access to and quality of care. Kaz Rafia is the Chief Health Equity Officer for the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health — a leading national nonprofit focused on creating a more accessible, equitable, and integrated oral health system.

According to data from CareQuest Institute for Oral Health’s State of Oral Health Equity in America survey, 77 million adults in the United States lack dental benefits. This lack of coverage disproportionately impacts Black and Latino people, tribal and rural communities, and people with disabilities.

In November, the Center for Health Information and Analysis reported that Black and Hispanic people are significantly more likely to rely on the ER. Another study from CareQuest, found that people of color experience disproportional discrimination during oral health care.

Dental care is still out of reach for many Americans. A 2022 survey conducted by the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, a health care nonprofit, found that 77 million Americans do not have dental insurance. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that under 63% of Americans over 18 visited the dentist between 2019 and 2020, a decline from nearly 66% the previous year.