In the News

In this article from Oral Health, CareQuest Institute Value-Based Care Program Manager Danielle Apostolon dives into what value-based care (VBC) is, what VBC looks like in oral health, and what it looks like in practice.Apostolon also explains why dental hygienists are well-positioned to lead the shift to VBC in dental practices.Read the full story here.

The lack of access to dental care in Florida is reflected in alarming statistics. A 2023 report by CareQuest Institute for Oral Health found that children in Florida aged 14 and younger seek dental care through emergency departments for non-traumatic dental conditions (NTDC) at one of the highest rates in the country. The report also found that Florida hospitals were billed nearly $550 million for treating NTDC in 2021 alone.

In recent years, there has been a notable increase in dental injuries, leading many to seek care in hospital emergency departments (EDs). However, for most dental issues, consulting a dentist is more effective and beneficial than visiting an ED. A 2022 report by CareQuest Institute for Oral Health highlighted that in 2019 there were approximately 1.8 million ED visits for non-traumatic dental conditions (NTDCs) in the US, costing about $3.4 billion. This reflects a significant rise in both the number and cost of such visits over recent years.

CareQuest Institute is raising concerns about potential Medicaid cuts that could impact millions of patients and dental providers. Reduced Medicaid funding may lead to limited access to care, lower reimbursement rates, and increased strain on dental practices. Read more about what industry experts are saying and how this could affect the future of dental care.

As President Donald Trump gets settled into his second term, many industry leaders are wondering which policy changes could affect oral healthcare in the US. Melissa Burroughs, director of public policy at CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, spoke with Becker's Healthcare to discuss the policies needed to improve oral care in the US under the Trump administration.Read the full story here.

Two common misconceptions about Medicare are that it doesn’t cover dental care and that beneficiaries need to pay all dental expenses out of pocket, which could explain why most older adults have gum disease. Roughly half of people with Medicare haven’t had a dental visit in a year, according to the KFF health policy research group. Poor oral health is associated with medical problems like heart disease, stroke, and cognitive impairment. 

California health advocates are expressing concerns over the Trump administration's proposed federal funding freeze, which could significantly impact California's Medicaid dental services. In this article in ABC10, Melissa Burroughs, CareQuest Institute Director of Public Policy, shares how any disruption of the state's Medicaid program could reverse recent improvements in dental care access, leaving vulnerable populations at risk.

Melissa Burroughs, public policy director at CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, says poor oral health can increase the chances of depression and mental health issues. Moreover, Black adults are 68% more likely than white adults to have an unmet dental need, according to CareQuest Institute research.

"According to the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, in 2021, the nation's poorest households paid more than seven times more for dental care than higher-income and insured households."

"An estimated 68.5 million adults go without dental insurance, according to the 2023 State of Oral Health Equity in America survey by the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health."