March 29, 2022
Earlier this month, CareQuest Institute for Oral Health CEO and president Myechia Minter-Jordan, MD, MBA, presented an hour-long session at South by Southwest (SXSW) about the business case for investing in health equity — a topic that has increasingly become a priority across all industries, including health care.
March 29, 2022
One year ago today — March 29 — we officially launched CareQuest Institute for Oral Health. Building on the strengths of past organizations, including the DentaQuest Partnership for Oral Health Advancement, we are accelerating oral health care transformation and moving faster, together, toward a health system designed for everyone.
What’s our “why?” What drives us?
March 24, 2022
Dr. Deborah George has worked at the Jessie Trice Community Health System, a Federally Qualified Health Center in Florida, for more than 25 years. In her roles as the executive president of community affairs and chief dental officer, she oversees the system’s oral health program while cultivating collaborative relationships with community stakeholders. Dr.
People who are poor or members of communities of color face inequitable oral disease burden. And continued separation of dental care from medical care exacerbates these inequities, creating difficult choices involving pain, payment options, and inadequate care in emergency departments.
Roughly 19 million veterans live in the US, comprising about 6% of the total population. Those veterans are more likely to experience worse oral health outcomes — higher rates of tooth decay, higher rates of gum disease, and an increased need for restorative dental care — compared to nonveterans.
Oral Health Pandemic Response Workgroup letters to key agency officials.
Many people feel so anxious about visiting the dentist that it interferes with receiving care — a reality that can have significant health implications.
This visual report from CareQuest Institute, based on results from a 2021 survey of 5,320 adults, explores the impacts of dental fear and how it varies by demographic groups. Key findings include:
Note: Soon before this communication brief was published, Congressional negotiators announced that their social spending proposal was being trimmed to allow hearing coverage in Medicare but not dental or vision benefits. Whatever direction this debate takes, oral health leaders and advocates for older adults can make a difference by talking with their elected officials and underscoring why oral health coverage is so crucial.
There are significant racial disparities in oral health outcomes, mirroring overall health disparities. Funders and grantmakers have the opportunity to support systemic redesign of the oral health system in a way that contributes to reducing these disparities.
