- Weathering the Storm Together: Community Resiliency Hubs Hold the Promise of Local Self-Sufficiency and Supportive Mutual Aid
- Virginia Tech Researchers Bring Rural Families into the Nation's Largest Study of Early Brain and Child Development
- Expanding Access to Cancer Care for Rural Veterans
- VA: Veterans Rural Health Advisory Committee, Notice of Meeting
- Scaling Rural Wellness with Clever Collaboration
- Stroudwater Associates Enhances Rural Healthcare Dashboard with New Data to Support State Rural Transformation Grant Applications
- Harvest Season Is Here: Busy Times Call for Increased Focus on Safety and Health
- HHS Dispatches More Than 70 Public Health Service Officers to Strengthen Care in Tribal Communities
- Wisconsin Rural Hospitals Team up to Form Network
- CMS Launches Landmark $50 Billion Rural Health Transformation Program
- American Heart Association Provides Blood Pressure Kits at Southeast Arkansas Regional Libraries to Support Rural Health
- Broadening Access to Minimally Invasive Surgery Could Narrow Rural-Urban Health Gaps
- Instead of Selling, Some Rural Hospitals Band Together To Survive
- Help Line Gives Pediatricians Crucial Mental Health Information to Help Kids, Families
- Rural Health: A Strategic Opportunity for Governors
New Report Explores Relationship Between Oral Health, Mental Health and Substance Use Treatment
Having a mental health condition such as depression, anxiety, or a substance use challenge can negatively impact one’s oral health. Likewise, poor oral health can create or exacerbate challenges associated with mental health, cognitive health, and substance use.
Read the full article from National Council for Mental Wellbeing.
New Dental Salary Survey Released
In partnership with Dental Economics, RDH Magazine, and Endeavor Business Intelligence, DentalPost is releasing their 2026 Dental Industry Salary Report. This resource uncovers salary trends across all roles from dentists to front-office staff, the latest benefits, work hours, job satisfaction benchmarks, and turnover rates and retirement plans.
Check out their blog post and download the salary report for free.
New White Paper Released on Early Exposure Programs and Oral Health Workforce
Delta Dental released a new white paper, “The Pathway Effect: A Guide to Strengthening the Oral Health Workforce Through Early Exposure Programs.” The report explores strategies to address national workforce shortages and ways to build a more inclusive oral health profession. There is a clear call to action for funders, educators, practitioners, and community partners.
New Brief Available on Protecting Oral Health for Older Adults in Medicaid
Justice in Aging released “Protecting Oral Health for Older Adults in Medicaid.” For low-income older adults and people with disabilities, Medicaid provides a lifeline for services that Medicare does not cover, including dental benefits. Protecting oral health coverage in Medicaid is essential for older adults and people with disabilities.
Pennsylvania Releases Snapshot of Dental Workforce Pipeline Plan
The Pennsylvania Department of Health and PA Coalition for Oral Health (PCOH) published a one-page snapshot of the recent dental workforce pipeline plan. This purpose of the plan is to outline strategies to build, strengthen, and sustain the dental workforce through coordinated policy, financial, and educational efforts. The one-pager pulls out the current challenges, suggested action steps, and broad goals.
Click here to view the one-page resource.
Click here to view the full plan.
Oral Health’s Role in Identifying Undiagnosed Diabetes
Incorporating HbA1c screening into dental practices offers a valuable opportunity to identify patients with undiagnosed diabetes and prediabetes, especially among those who may not regularly seek medical care.
The CareQuest Institute for Oral Health created a resource that outlines the roles, benefits, and considerations for oral health providers in screening for diabetes.
Pennsylvania Oral Health Coalition Promotes Awareness of National Study on Fluoridation
The PA Coalition for Oral Health (PCOH) recently published a press release relating to a new large-scale U.S. study published in Science Advances that offers important clarity on the safety of fluoride in drinking water. The study found that children exposed to recommended levels of fluoride in municipal water experienced no negative effects on brain development, and in some cases, it showed modest improvements in cognitive performance during adolescence.
National Dental Association Releases Medicaid Toolkit for Dentists
The American Dental Association (ADA) released a toolkit to support dentists in providing care to Medicaid patients while maintaining financial viability. The guide provides concrete strategies for credentialing, scheduling, team utilization and administrative coordination to help mitigate common issues that lead to lost revenue or patient attrition.
New Fact Sheets Released on Diabetes and Oral Health
New fact sheet alert!
PCOH and the Pennsylvania Department of Health Oral Health Program just published two new fact sheets for patients and providers about the connection between diabetes and oral health. These have been added to PCOH’s Resource page and will be available to order in print on the Request Materials page in 2026.
Click here to view Diabetes and Oral Health (for providers).
Click here to view Diabetes and Your Teeth.
Healthy Smiles, Healthy Hearts Resources for Providers Available
The American Heart Association’s Healthy Smiles, Healthy Hearts initiative, in collaboration with Delta Dental, is dedicated to bridging the gap between oral health and heart health care. Dental professionals are uniquely positioned to detect early signs of systemic disease, including elevated blood pressure.
The American Heart Association released new resources including a hypertension screening implementation kit for dental offices, a resource toolkit, and an online module.