- CMS: Medicare Program; Implementation of Prior Authorization for Select Services for the Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) Model
- Public Inspection: CMS: Medicare Program: Implementation of Prior Authorization for Select Services for the Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction Model
- CMS: Secretarial Comments on the CBE's (Battelle Memorial Institute) 2024 Activities: Report to Congress and the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services
- HHS: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: Marketplace Integrity and Affordability
- HRSA Announces Action to Lower Out-of-Pocket Costs for Life-Saving Medications at Health Centers Nationwide
- Public Inspection: HHS: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: Marketplace Integrity and Affordability
- Increased Risk of Cyber Threats Against Healthcare and Public Health Sector
- Eight Hospitals Selected for First Cohort of Rural Hospital Stabilization Program
- Announcing the 2030 Census Disclosure Avoidance Research Program
- CMS: Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and Policy Changes and Fiscal Year 2026 Rates; Requirements for Quality Programs; and Other Policy Changes; Correction
- CMS: Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and Policy Changes and Fiscal Year 2026 Rates; Requirements for Quality Programs; and Other Policy Changes; Correction
- CMS: Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Contract Year 2026 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program, Medicare Cost Plan Program, and Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly; Correction
- CMS: Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Contract Year 2026 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program, Medicare Cost Plan Program, and Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly; Correction
- CMS: Medicare Program; Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities; Updates to the Quality Reporting Program for Federal Fiscal Year 2026
- CMS: Medicare Program; FY 2026 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Program Requirements
Non-Invasive Caries Therapy Guide Released
The CareQuest Institute for Oral Health published the “CareQuest Non-Invasive Caries Therapy Guide,” an illustrated manual of tips and tricks on how to perform evidence-based techniques to improve oral health for all. The goals of the guide are to increase access to care by decreasing resilience on invasive dentistry, transform the oral health workforce by empowering non-dentists to manage dental caries, improve clinical outcomes, and lower barriers to adopting evidence-based techniques.
New CareQuest Infographic Published: Oral Health and Overall Health for Older Adults
The CareQuest Institute for Oral Health and the Lunder-Dineen Massachusetts General Hospital MOTIVATE Program created an infographic that explains the importance of oral health for the overall health of older adults. The infographic also includes recommendations including more communication between physicians, dentists, and patients about the connections between oral health and overall health.
There are versions of the infographic available for both providers and patients.
Click here for more information and to access the infographics.
Oral Health Resource Center Fluoride Varnish Handout Available
The Oral Health Resource Center shared a new patient education handout, “Fluoride Varnish for Adults: Q&A.”
This resource provides information that health professionals can share with adults, including pregnant people, about how fluoride varnish can make their teeth more resistant to tooth decay. The resource explains what fluoride varnish is and discusses its safety. It also addresses things to avoid after it is applied to teeth, how long it lasts, how often it should be applied, and whether it is covered by dental insurance.
New Report Released on Incentivizing Oral Health Care Providers to Treat Patients with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
A new report by the National Council on Disability, “Incentivizing Oral Healthcare Providers to Treat Patients with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities,” delves into three critical factors that impact the access and utilization of dental care services by adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Many individuals with I/DD face significant challenges in accessing high-quality, appropriate, and timely oral health care services. Among minority populations, adults with I/DD represent the largest group with unmet oral healthcare needs.
New Resource Released on Integrating Behavioral Health and Oral Health
The National Network for Oral Health Access (NNOHA) released a new resource, “NNOHA User’s Guide for Integration of Behavioral Health and Oral Health.” The resource provides guidance on how to implement a behavioral health and oral health integration program. The guide includes a description of NNOHA’s systems-based framework for behavioral health integration, promising practices from community health centers, and workflow examples. There is also a readiness assessment to help community health centers determine their level of preparedness to implement a behavioral health integration program.
Updated Oral Health Risk Assessment Tool Launched
The American Academy of Pediatrics has streamlined their “Oral Health Risk Assessment Tool.” The tool is now accompanied by an intake form to collect pertinent patient information from parents/caregivers. An updated self-management goal sheet supports shared decision-making on preventing cavities and maintaining healthy teeth at home. The tool is available in both English and Spanish.
New Dental Clinical Practice Guidelines Released
The American Dental Association released a new clinical practice guideline on caries restoration. The new guideline includes sixteen recommendations for treating moderate or advanced caries lesions in primary and permanent teeth without a history of endodontic treatment. The guidance associated conservative approaches to removing carious tissue with a lower risk of adverse effects.
2021 Pennsylvania Dentist and Dental Hygienist Workforce Survey Report Released
The Pennsylvania Department of Health has published the final “2021 Pennsylvania’s Dentist and Dental Hygienist Workforce Survey Report” based on the State Board of Dentistry data from the 2021 licensure renewals. In 2021, 9,174 dentists renewed their license with 8,456 being employed in dentistry. Over 65% of Pennsylvania dentists identified as male and nearly 70% identified as White. There were 7,530 dental hygienists that renewed their licenses with 24% working in rural counties.
New Resource Released: Adopting Oral Health to Advance Minimally-Invasive Care
Community Catalyst released a new resource, “Adopting Oral Health Integration to Advance Minimally-Invasive Care.” The resource provides information about how minimally invasive health care can be used in conjunction with the integration of oral health care and medical care to improve oral health and overall health, as well as people’s experiences with receiving oral health care.
Click here to view the resource.
New Report Released on Dangers of Oral Health Home Remedies
The CareQuest Institute for Oral Health released a new visual report, “Dental Danger: Home Remedies to Avoid When Awaiting Care.” More than half of adults in the United States do not have consistent access to dental care and may resort to home remedies, which are not always safe. Unsafe home remedies include tobacco, pain medication prescribed for another purpose, illegal narcotics, a needle to lance a gum abscess, aspirin powder applied to the gums, and alcohol.