- Telehealth Study Recruiting Veterans Now
- USDA Delivers Immediate Relief to Farmers, Ranchers and Rural Communities Impacted by Recent Disasters
- Submit Nominations for Partnership for Quality Measurement (PQM) Committees
- Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation of the Medicare Program (Executive Order 14192) - Request for Information
- Dr. Mehmet Oz Shares Vision for CMS
- CMS Refocuses on its Core Mission and Preserving the State-Federal Medicaid Partnership
- Social Factors Help Explain Worse Cardiovascular Health among Adults in Rural Vs. Urban Communities
- Reducing Barriers to Participation in Population-Based Total Cost of Care (PB-TCOC) Models and Supporting Primary and Specialty Care Transformation: Request for Input
- Secretary Kennedy Renews Public Health Emergency Declaration to Address National Opioid Crisis
- Secretary Kennedy Renews Public Health Emergency Declaration to Address National Opioid Crisis
- 2025 Marketplace Integrity and Affordability Proposed Rule
- Rural America Faces Growing Shortage of Eye Surgeons
- NRHA Continues Partnership to Advance Rural Oral Health
- Comments Requested on Mobile Crisis Team Services: An Implementation Toolkit Draft
- Q&A: What Are the Challenges and Opportunities of Small-Town Philanthropy?
The Burden of Out-of-Pocket Expenditures for Dental Care on Medicare-Enrolled Elderly and Disabled
The DentaQuest Partnership’s latest report is a continuation of compelling research about how out-of-pocket spending on health care presents challenges for patients on fixed incomes. The report findings show that Medicare recipients pay for at least 75% of dental costs out-of-pocket, contributing to financial strain and poor oral health. Read the report.
Article Links Teeth Brushing with Reduced Diabetes Risk
A new Korean national health database suggests frequent brushing may be a factor for decreasing the risk of new-onset diabetes. The presence of periodontal disease and increased number of missing teeth may be associated with decreased risk of occurrence of new on-set diabetes.
Celebrate World Oral Health Day on March 20th!
World Oral Health Day is just over one week away. This year’s campaign is “Say Ahh: United for Mouth Health.” World Oral Health Day encourages policymakers to take action for better oral health outcomes tomorrow.
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.
The Role of Dentists in Community Water Fluoridation
Dentistry Today published a column by Dr. Johnny Johnson of the American Fluoridation Society. The column salutes the role of dentists in the history of fluoridation and encourages dental professionals to have conversations about fluoride with their patients.
Free Clinic Association of PA (FCAP) Annual Conference
Friday, May 1, 2020
8:00 AM – 3:30 PM
Days Inn Penn State
240 Pugh Street, State College, PA 16801
Phone: (814) 238-8454
Room reservation group code: 050120FRE
If you want to be a speaker, contact Kristi Mattzela at kmattzela@cvim.net. Applications are due by February 28.
Dental Public Health Resource
The Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD) released a “Dental Public Health 101” learning module. Dental Public Health focuses on dental and oral health issues in communities and populations rather than individuals.
Exploring Alternative Payment Models for Oral Health Care
In January 2020, the DentaQuest Partnership published an article in Decisions in Dentistry that evaluated Medicaid claims of alternative payment models (APMs) and fee for service (FFS). Key takeaways from the their study demonstrated that:
- In 2016, the Center for Health Care Strategies noted “states may be able to use their purchasing power to encourage better access, quality and accountability in oral health care for children in Medicaid — particularly through contracting with dental plans.”
- This analysis of a national sample of Medicaid dental claims found an approximate 6% increase (from 27% to 33%) in dental claims associated with APMs from 2013 to 2017.
- The costs over the lifespan for APMs were lower than traditional FFS models, while utilization was better in the APM plans.
- Dental utilization in this sampling was highest during pediatric care and sharply declines within the 20s, before remaining low for the rest of the lifespan.
Oral Health Coalition Releases 2019 Annual Report
The Pennsylvania Coalition for Oral Health (PCOH) has released their annual report for 2019 detailing accomplishments for the year. They extend a heartfelt thank you to their 2019 stakeholders, sponsors, and financial partners!
Resource Guide for Fluoride Varnish & Silver Diamine Fluoride
The National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center recently published the Fluoride Varnish and Silver Diamine Fluoride Resource Guide that was funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The guide is to help professionals and consumers learn more about these products to promote oral health and prevent oral disease by providing professional education and training, materials on data and surveillance and public education.