In the News

Isabel Flores used to have nightmares about her teeth falling out when she was young. To this day, the 56-year-old Arizonian does her best to take care of her teeth to prevent that from happening. But her teeth are very sensitive, and her past struggles with substance use weakened them. Around 10 years ago, a dentist told her that she was...

Fluoride — one of public health’s most effective and equitable tools — is facing a growing wave of policy rollbacks, misinformation and public skepticism. Host Sophia Meador talks with Wade Rakes, MBA, CEO of the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, and pediatrician Susan Fisher-Owens, MD, MPH, to unpack what’s at stake for oral health, who...

Dentist Dr. Tara Prasad thinks a lot about the logistics of homelessness — how difficult it is to brush your teeth when you don’t have a place to store a toothbrush, or how to protect a life-changing set of dentures when you’re sleeping and someone may steal your belongings. Prasad is the dental director at Boston Health Care for the Homeless...

New York’s senior citizens may have a new avenue to purchase dental insurance. Assemblywoman Rebecca Seawright, D-New York City, and Sen. Cordell Cleare, D-New York City, are sponsoring legislation (A.11235/S.7594) that would require the NY State of Health Marketplace to require companies offering health insurance plans on the marketplace to...

Pennsylvania is currently grappling with a significant and growing dental crisis, especially in its more rural areas. A shortage of dentists, hygienists and dental assistants across the state is disrupting access to the critical dental care many residents need to be their healthiest. Read the full article...

Utah stopped public water fluoridation in May 2025. While the health effects aren't immediate, dentists and oral health advocates aren't waiting for the cavities to pile up. Read the full article...

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy has maintained that the target of his war on fluoride is ingested fluoride — specifically that from fluoridated drinking water and oral supplements. But the misinformed policy efforts to ban community water fluoridation and restrict access to fluoride supplements are having spillover...

The CareQuest Institute for Oral Health appointed Dr. An Nguyen, MPH, as its new chief clinical officer. As a member of the executive leadership team, Nguyen will work closely with the CEO to further clinical strategy and advance the organization’s mission to build a more accessible, equitable, and integrated oral health system. Read the full...

The Trump administration’s proposal to block states from establishing adult dental services as an essential health benefit under the Affordable Care Act is prompting support from insurers and pushback from public interest groups. Read the full article...

Oral health refers to the condition of the mouth, teeth, gums and oral-facial system. While it affects the ability to eat, speak and smile, it is also closely linked to overall health — a connection that was not always widely understood. According to the American Dental Association, the idea that oral bacteria could cause disease has been...

Minimally invasive caries management is moving beyond fluoride varnish, with emerging diagnostics and therapies enabling earlier detection, enamel fortification, and more predictable disease arrest in high-risk patients, which also drives practice production. Read the full article...

The recent announcement that Central Alabama Water (“CAW”) will cease adding fluoride to our drinking water is both shocking and concerning. Even more troubling than the decision itself is the lack of notice, transparency, and process by which it was made. Read the full article...