Oral health is overall health. It’s more than a mantra, and nothing drives that fact home more than the research done in 2024 by CareQuest Institute. A few key findings from popular reports published this year show: 

As 2024 comes to an end, the road to creating a better oral health care system continues. Yes, we saw roadblocks and detours, but we also made tremendous progress as a community committed to change. 

They’ve served our country, putting their lives on the line, yet many can’t even access basic, necessary oral health care services. 

By Kelly Schroeder, RDH, MS, Evaluation Specialist, CareQuest Institute 

It’s essential to meet patients where they are — whether that means bringing a mobile clinic to their school or making an effort to understand their language.

That was one theme from a recent webinar, “Advancing Equity in Hispanic and Latino Communities: Strategies to Integrate Compassionate Care,” from CareQuest Institute and the Hispanic Dental Association (HDA). The webinar, which drew nearly 500 learners, covered innovative approaches to serving Latino and Hispanic populations, leadership development within these communities, and the importance of cultural humility.

Thanos Zavras, DDS, MS, DMSc, knows that dentistry is not a one-size-fits-all treatment, especially for people with disabilities. 

“While the art and science of dentistry has made significant progress, along with major technological breakthroughs such as digital imaging, digital dentistry, and so much more,” he says, “access to dental care for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) remains problematic.”