In the News

The Indiana Community Action Poverty Institute (ICAPI) has announced a new partnership with the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health to conduct critical research on the burden of dental debt among Hoosiers. This collaboration aims to illuminate an issue that, despite the state’s ongoing conversation about general medical debt, remains severely...

In 2024, the Health Resources and Services Administration reported that approximately 60 million Americans live in dental health professional shortage areas, representing 17.4% of the total population.1 These regions lack oral health professionals and are unable to meet the population’s needs. Telehealth has emerged as a promising solution to...

The American Dental Association and the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health have spoken out against the FDA’s decision to limit the use of ingestible fluoride products. Read the full article...

CareQuest Institute for Oral Health has responded to new US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) enforcement actions that limit the use of fluoride supplements in children, emphasizing that the decision could reduce access to an important preventive measure for families without fluoridated water. Read the full article...

For years, dental benefits have been a sore spot for organizations, seen as outdated, underutilized and unsupportive of employees' real needs — but this provider is aiming to change that with a new approach to subscription-based care. Read the full article...

Community water fluoridation has been a cornerstone of public health for decades because it protects people across their lifespan — especially children and older adults who may not have regular dental visits or even access to basic oral hygiene products. In Missouri, as in other states, communities have recently revisited this issue. Branson...

"Oral health is a fundamental component of overall well-being; however, disparities persist among marginalized populations, including the LGBTQ+ community. Many LGBTQ+ individuals face health disparities linked to societal stigma and discrimination that equate to a denial of their civil and human rights." Read the full article...

Hugh J. Silk wishes he had a time machine. If he did, he’d go back to the year 1840 and persuade the staff at what is now the University of Maryland School of Medicine to accept a recommendation to include dental instruction in their curriculum. Instead, the medical school rejected the idea — and the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, the...

In the United Kingdom, reports of people resorting to DIY dentistry — pulling teeth at home, gluing broken fillings, or leaving cavities untreated — have become alarmingly common. A British Dental Association survey found 82% of UK dentists have treated patients who attempted self-care since lockdown, a pattern tied to access gaps and the rise...

A few months ago, Oklahoma officials removed the state’s recommendation for fluoride in drinking water as part of the "Make Oklahoma Healthy Again" campaign, which was announced alongside the U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. But according to a recent report, ending community water fluoridation could come with a hefty cost. Data from...

The CareQuest Institute for Oral Health has appointed Wade Rakes, MBA, as its new CEO to lead strategy, philanthropic investments, dental insurance services, and initiatives to improve access to care. Previously, Rakes served as chief growth officer at Centene Corporation and president and CEO of Peach State Health Plan. Additionally, he has...