Oral Health and Overall Health Across the Lifespan

This report from CareQuest Institute provides a comprehensive overview of the bidirectional nature of oral and systemic diseases across different life phases and discusses how medical-dental integration (MDI) can improve access to care, health outcomes, and health care costs.

The benefits of integrating oral health care and overall health care are well-known. However, the inability for medical and dental providers to access and contribute to shared patient records continues to be a barrier to an integrated health system.  

To learn about provider experiences with electronic health records (EHRs), CareQuest Institute conducted a survey of more than 100 medical and dental providers at Federally Qualified Health Centers. FQHCs were selected due to their role as innovators and early adopters of medical-dental integration. 

During pregnancy, oral health care is essential, yet often underutilized.  

According to a report from CareQuest Institute, approximately 60–75% of pregnant people experience oral health issues that raise the likelihood of poor birth outcomes and major complications. These percentages are even higher for expecting Black women, who are 27% more likely to experience severe pregnancy complications than white women.

Consumers and providers support the use of algorithms and digital health tools to deliver more personalized, patient-centered care, according to findings in a report by CareQuest Institute.  

Using Health Data to Predict and Treat Disease 

The research report shares insights from surveys of consumers and providers about their attitudes toward the use of algorithms for clinical decision-making and for health insurance companies to develop benefits. Key findings include: 

A new article, co-authored by CareQuest Institute researchers, stresses the importance of dental hygiene and treatment of gum disease to prevent nonventilator hospital-acquired pneumonia (NVHAP).