Topics

Without improving access to care — whether it’s through expanded coverage or innovative care models — we will never realize a future where equitable systems promote better health.

All adults need and deserve access to oral health care. One potential and powerful solution: We need to protect and expand adult dental benefits — within both Medicaid and Medicare.

In order to effectively care for the whole person, dental professionals must be able to communicate and coordinate with their peers in other health disciplines.

The stark inequities in our society are all too clear — and those same inequities carry through into the oral health care system. At the Institute, we collaborate with thought leaders, providers, patients, and stakeholders at all levels to create a system designed for everyone.

The links between oral health and overall health — between the mouth and the body — are increasingly clear. And to treat the whole person, our health system needs to recognize these connections and bridge the silos between medical care and dental care.

Teledentistry — using telehealth systems and methodologies within oral care — can connect patients and providers in different physical locations, and it has been gaining traction during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The advantages of value-based care — a model that rewards the quality of outcomes, not the quantity of services — are clear: less waste, lower costs, and, most importantly, better oral health for patients.