When people lack access to regular dental care, they often resort to visiting hospital emergency departments (EDs) for care — visits that are often costly and fail to address the underlying condition. This ineffective and inefficient system is not new, but the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted and exacerbated it. At a time when ED capacity is strained, reducing preventable dental visits in these settings is of vital importance.

A new commentary in JAMA Network Open underscores the importance of strengthening Medicaid benefits to include dental coverage. In the commentary, a response to “Addressing Oral Health of Low-Income Populations: A Call to Action,” authors Tamanna Tiwari, MPH, MDS, BDS, and CareQuest Institute’s Julie Franstve-Hawley, PhD, CAE, write that “it is imperative to have a concerted call to action for federal policy that mandates comprehensive, nationwide adult dental benefits as a permanent part of Medicaid.”

Hawley and Tiwari go on to outline the mandate that would include:

In this video, Sharity Ludwig, EPDH, MS, director of alternative care models at Advantage Dental Oral Health Center and Affiliated Practices, explains the potential of community care. Clinics may not be in easily accessible locations, so by deploying expanded practice hygienists to other sites — such as WIC programs and schools — patients can receive care in a trusting, familiar, and convenient environments.

The US population is aging, which means the number of Medicare beneficiaries is growing. Yet Medicare does not include a dental benefit, leaving millions of older adults without adequate oral health coverage or care.

A new CareQuest Institute for Oral Health report, based on a nationally representative survey of 5,320 adults, shows a strong consensus that a dental benefit should be added to all Medicare plans.

Key findings include:

The risk of oral health problems increases with age — and older populations are more likely to lack coverage when they need it most. This combination is leading to a surge in oral health care needs among adults aged 60 and over.

A new visual report from CareQuest Institute for Oral Health reveals that of all Americans, Medicare beneficiaries have the largest unmet need for dental coverage. Other key findings include:

*Just Ask Colorado.

Colorado was one of the states that chose to expand Medicaid adult dental benefits under the Affordable Care Act. As of 2014, adults members could receive up to $1,000 annually toward the cost of dental services. In 2019, the cap was raised to $1,500. The new benefit covered procedures such as dental exams, crowns, partial dentures, and root canals.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, CareQuest Institute for Oral Health worked with its partners to launch an innovative educational collaboration. The COVID-19 Oral Health Recovery and Transformation (COHRT) Learning Community brought together Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) in Massachusetts to make systemic changes to their delivery of oral health care. The goal was not just to respond to the pandemic but also to begin the process of long-term transformation in oral health.

A recent research article published in BMC Oral Health concluded that most dental emergency encounters do not result in definitive treatment; rather, patients often return to the dentist at a later date for that treatment. Where possible, dental providers could utilize teledental services to triage patients to appropriate care.

A new study published in MDPI contributes to the understanding of medical-dental integration among Medicaid-enrolled children and offers insight into the promotion of oral health prevention within medical primary care.

The study reveals most Medicaid enrolled children receive their well-child visit at an office and hospital, as compared to federally qualified health center, or rural or public health clinic. Furthermore, it demonstrates increased utilization of dental preventive services for children who receive a well-child visit.

Teledentistry has been shown to increase access to care, improve health outcomes, and reduce costs — and its use across the United States is growing. However, a variety of state-level barriers stand in the way of its continued expansion.

What can stakeholders to do remove these barriers and facilitate the spread of teledentistry?

A new visual report from CareQuest Institute for Oral Health explores the current landscape, barriers, potential solutions, and action steps related to teledentistry.

Recommendations include: