In the News

Good oral health is crucial for overall well-being, yet access to high-quality care remains a persistent challenge for many Virginians. Virginia's Medicaid program offers comprehensive dental coverage to all members, for example, but slightly more than half of enrolled children saw a dentist last year — and even fewer adults received care....

What’s more, one 2023 study found that individuals with periodontal disease may have a higher risk of certain chronic respiratory diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, at least one preventative dental visit within three years may reduce the risk of ventilator-acquired pneumonia by as much as 22%, according to...

Unfortunately, fewer than half of pregnant women nationally have their teeth cleaned during pregnancy. Black women are 14% less likely to get their teeth cleaned during pregnancy than white women, even though data shows no difference in dental visits prior to pregnancy for those groups. Read the full story...

Half of Medicare beneficiaries did not visit the dentist during the past year because they couldn't afford to.  Melissa Burroughs of the advocacy group Care Quest says neglecting oral health can contribute to serious health issues in older people --- including Alzheimer's, heart disease, and diabetes.  Worse yet, traditional Medicare does not...

The correlation between poor dental health and poverty cannot be overlooked. Just last year, this “neglected epidemic” saw nearly 69 million U.S. adults without dental insurance, according to a survey by the nonprofit CareQuest Institute for Oral Health. Read the full story...

Nearly half of children covered by Medicaid or CHIP receive at least one dental service within the year compared with only one-fifth of adult Medicaid enrollees, reflecting differences in coverage policies for children and adults. Read the full story...

Oral health nonprofit CareQuest Institute for Oral Health has proudly announced its rewarding of over $2.3 million in grant funds to various equity projects across the U.S. Organizations in Alabama, California, Colorado, Florida, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Texas, and Vermont have received funding for projects that aim to make oral health care...

Research from CareQuest Institute for Oral Health also reveals that individuals with disabilities are more frequently denied care due to discrimination and are more likely to have to visit the emergency department for dental care. Read the full story...

Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan, president and CEO of Boston's CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, echoed Simon's statements. She added that because of Medicare's current guidelines, around 25 million older Americans and people with disabilities have no dental benefits. "There is currently no financial support for adults to purchase dental...

This bill is cosponsored by Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, and is endorsed by Families USA, CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, and Community Catalyst. To learn more about the bill, the HELP Committee, or to read the legislation, visit here. Read the full story...

According to the Carequest Institute for Oral Health, nearly 69 million adults did not have dental insurance or access to routine oral health care last year. Read the full story...

The numbers are staggering: nearly 69 million United States adults lacked dental insurance or access to routine oral health care last year, according to a survey by the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health. This issue has been exacerbated by the rollback of Medicaid expansions post-COVID-19. Read the full story...