- 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
Report Explores Teledentistry Utilization by Oral Health Professionals
A new article published in the Journal of Public Health Dentistry explores the types of teledentistry delivery options and how to increase access to care for patients. “Teledentistry Utilization by Oral Health Professionals and Policy Considerations” was authored by the CareQuest Institute, MouthWatch, and the Virginia Commonwealth University.
Manuscript Addresses Continuing Education & Management of Acute Dental Pain
A recent manuscript was published in BioMed Central Oral Health focusing on the relationship between continuing education and dental pain. The study in the manuscript, “Evaluation of a continuing education course on guideline-concordant management of acute dental pain,” found that the continuing education course increased learners’ knowledge about the guidelines and shared decision making. Former PCOH Board Member/Board Chair Dr. Deborah Polk, University of Pittsburgh, was the lead author on this project in addition to consultants from the Association of State
and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD).
New Report Available on Oral and Mental Health During and After Pregnancy
The CareQuest Institute for Oral Health released a report, “Oral and Mental Health During and After Pregnancy.” Pregnant people are at a higher risk of developing periodontal disease and caries. The report cites the need for better medical-dental integration in order to address whole-person health through pregnancy and postpartum periods.
New Brief Released on Minimally-Invasive Oral Care
Community Catalyst released a brief, “Minimally-Invasive Care: Policy Opportunities to Improve Dental Care Access and Affordability.” This resource provides an overview of state-level policies advocates can push for to ensure communities have access to comprehensive dental services, including minimally-invasive care, as well as federal policy considerations that will support its availability.
Link Between Oral Health and ADHD Explored
Nearly 9 million adults in the United States have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). According to a new report from CareQuest, adults with ADHD face more oral health risks than adults without ADHD. This is partly due to the medications used to treat ADHD causing side effects such as increased tooth decay, gingivitis, and other issues. Dental and medical providers should work together to maintain optimal oral health.
CDC Releases Dental Caries Surveillance Report
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a new report, the “2024 Oral Health Surveillance Report: Dental Caries, Tooth Retention, and Edentulism, United States, 2018-March 2020.”
This report used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to provide national estimates for the prevalence and severity of dental caries in primary and permanent teeth for individuals 2 years or older and for tooth retention in adults age 20 years or older. Among the findings, the report found that half of children ages 6 to 9 have had cavities in their primary or permanent teeth. More than 1 in 7 adults ages 65 and older have lost all of their teeth.
New Releases from the ADA Health Policy Institute
The American Dental Association (ADA) Health Policy Institute (HPI) released an annual update on trends from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey and the National Health Interview Survey. This includes trends in dental care utilization, dental insurance coverage, and cost barriers. Data is broken down by population age, race/ethnicity, income level, and insurance type. Among the findings, only 40 percent of working-age adults had a dental visit. They also found that dental care continues to pose the highest cost barriers when compared to other health services such as medical, prescription drugs, and mental health.
Click here to review the trend updates.
HPI also released an update on Medicaid reimbursement for child and adult dental care services by state using data from state Medicaid fee schedules. The data table includes Medicaid fee-for-service reimbursement as a percentage of average dentist charge and as a percentage of average private dental insurance payment rates.
Free Print and Electronic Oral Health Materials Available
Do you know of any organizations that would benefit from free electronic and print oral health materials? Please share information about the PCOH Request Materials Page. We have nearly 50 resources available on topics such as general oral health education, children’s health. fluoride, workforce, tobacco and nicotine, HPV prevention, and older adults. Materials include flyers, brochures, posters, postcards, stickers, and magnets. We have a few resources in Spanish and Swahili as well. Please allow 2-3 weeks for order processing and shipping.
CDC Study Released on Delayed Oral Health Care and Diabetes
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a new study showing that adults with diabetes are more likely to delay oral health care due to cost than adults without diabetes. This is the first study to provide national prevalence estimates of delayed oral health care due to cost among people with diabetes, and the first to describe the risk factors for delayed oral health care among people with diabetes. The study found that approximately 1 in 6 people with diabetes delay oral health care due to cost.
New Self-Paced Course Focuses on Dental Care and Pregnancy Launched
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists created a new self-paced course focusing on the need for routine dental care before and during pregnancy. Pregnant patients experience gaps in care, which can lead to suboptimal perinatal outcomes and overlooked oral health needs. There is 1 CEU available for dental providers.