- 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?
- HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson, Joined by Co-Chair of the Congressional Black Maternal Health Caucus Congresswoman Lauren Underwood, Announces New Funding, Policy Action, and Report to Mark Landmark Year of HRSA's Enhancing Maternal Health Initiative
- Biden-Harris Administration Announces $60 Million Investment for Adding Early Morning, Night, and Weekend Hours at Community Health Centers
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.
Pennsylvania Oral Health Coalition Honored with 2024 Highmark Bright Blue Futures Rising Star Recognition
PCOH is thrilled to announce that our coalition has been named a 2024 Highmark Bright Blue Futures Rising Star!
The Highmark Bright Blue Futures Awards Program recognizes extraordinary nonprofit organizations that are advancing health equity across Pennsylvania, western and northeastern New York, West Virginia, and Delaware. The program launched in 2023 as an expansion of Highmark’s corporate giving and community involvement program, Highmark Bright Blue Futures, and was designed to recognize those making significant impact in the community. Nearly 250 organizations applied this year.
Thank you to Highmark for this amazing opportunity!
New Release: State of Oral Health Equity in America 2024
The CareQuest Institute for Oral Health just released key findings from their annual survey, “State of Oral Health Equity in America” and includes perceptions, attitudes, and experiences with oral health from more than 9,000 adults in the United States. Among other findings, the survey found that “adults with less than a high school education were nine times more likely to report seeking dental care through an emergency department than those with a postgraduate or professional degree.” A comprehensive report with additional findings will be released soon.
Just Published! Trauma-Informed Care: The Role of Dental Hygienists
Children and adults with a trauma history are more likely to have poor oral health and increased dental care-related fear and anxiety.
An article from the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health was recently published in the Journal of Dental Hygiene. “Trauma-Informed Care in Oral Health Care: The Role of Dental Hygienists,” examines the critical role of dental hygienists to ensure patients feel heard and make them feel comfortable enough to return for regular dental care.
Health Policy Institute Publishes Dental Education Map
The American Dental Association Health Policy Institute (HPI) developed a map based on data from the Commission on Dental Accreditation’s 2022-2023 Survey of Dental Education. The map includes profile information of each accredited DDS/DMD program in the United States.