Rural Health Information Hub Latest News

Message from PA Oral Health Coalition about COVID-19

The PA Coalition for Oral Health (PCOH) has releaesd a statement on oral health services during the COVID-19 pandemic:

“As Pennsylvania has been justifiably proactive in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts, the PA Coalition for Oral Health supports the state issuing directives to the dental community immediately to initiate ’emergency treatment only’ policies. Stopping the spread of this virus and protecting the health and safety of patients, their family members, and dental professionals is our first priority.”

Click here to read the full message.

Hidden Pain: America’s Oral Health Crisis

The production Hidden Pain: America’s Oral Health Crisis, is a short film by The Jon C Burr Foundation that addresses the pain, suffering and enormous cost to the American people of not providing access to Oral Healthcare. Dr. Mike Monopoli, Executive Director of Grant Strategy for the DentaQuest Partnership offered his subject matter expertise, and several Partnership grantees are featured sharing their perspectives about how to change the system and improve health outcomes. Watch this important documentary here.

Hospital Utilization for Non-Traumatic Dental Conditions in Oregon from 2013 to 2015

Access to oral health benefits is a state by state issue – either the coverage is uneven or totally lacking – and can result in costly trips to the hospital for non-traumatic dental conditions. The DentaQuest Partnership took an in-depth look into Emergency Department (ED) visits specifically in Oregon for non-traumatic dental conditions, and found a need for multi-level solutions, such as teledentistry, to decrease ED utilization across the state. Read the study here.

Report Explores Teledentistry in Rural Areas

A new report published in the National Conference of State Legislatures found that rural Americans are more likely to experience tooth decay than their urban counterparts. The report explores teledentistry as a solution to addressing the disparity and discusses states that have already introduced legislation to establish teledentistry and expand access to oral health services.

Click here to download the report.