Correction: A revised version of the white paper was uploaded on October 7, 2025, in order to correct the in-text numbering of references #225–272.

Helping patients achieve optimal health and a high quality of life requires the full integration of oral health into health care systems. Such integration requires robust collaboration across disciplines, known as interprofessional practice (IPP).  

This impact report and case study explore the results of the Medical Oral Expanded Care (MORE Care®) Ohio pilot program (MORE Care OH), a two-year project designed to integrate oral health into pediatric primary care across six counties in Ohio.  

Led by CareQuest Institute and Oral Health Ohio, the initiative brought together seven private and health-system-affiliated practices to expand access to preventive dental services for nearly 20,000 children.

Noteworthy results from the program include:

This report evaluates the impact of a learning community comprising 14 safety-net dental practices across North Carolina with a goal to transform oral health for the 47 counties and 87,000 patients they serve. The initiative was a partnership between the North Carolina Oral Health Collaborative, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation, and CareQuest Institute.  

Noteworthy results from the community include:

A Review and Recommendations

This comprehensive white paper and collection of use cases, co-authored by CareQuest Institute and 19 academic institutions, explore interprofessional education (IPE) in health care, with a particular focus on oral health. The authors find that IPE is essential to foster collaborative, patient-centered health care, writing:

An Analysis of Dental and Medical Claims Data 

In this article in The Journal of the American Dental Association, CareQuest Institute researchers found that overall health care costs were reduced in both Medicaid patients (14% less) and commercially insured patients (12% less) with diabetes who had received periodontal treatment within the previous two years.