The Santa Fe Group strongly supports the opportunity to keep America healthy. We are alarmed by recent decisions that undermine decades of progress in oral health.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is entrusted with safeguarding the health and well-being of all Americans at every stage of life. While the Secretary of Health has pledged to “Make America Healthy Again,” this vision cannot be realized without recognizing oral health as a critical component of overall health.

All Veterans Deserve Comprehensive Dental Care

The Coalition for Oral Health Policy (COHP), an initiative of the Santa Fe Group, is proud to share a new policy statement published in Health Affairs Forefront: All Veterans Deserve Comprehensive Dental Care. It highlights a critical gap in our nation’s healthcare system: limited dental care access for U.S. veterans. 

This important article was authored by COHP and Santa Fe Group board members Raul Garcia, D.M.D., M.Med.Sc.; Judith A. Jones, D.D.S., M.P.H., D.Sc.D.; and Ira B. Lamster, D.D.S., M.M.Sc. along with AIDPH’s Annaliese Cothron, MS.

Honoring a Public Health Pioneer: Dushanka Kleinman Receives Distinguished Terrapin Award

On April 21, the University of Maryland hosted an inspiring day of events during The Dean's Innovation Council meeting, culminating in a special Awards Dinner where Dushanka Kleinman, D.D.S., M.Sc.D. was honored with The Distinguished Terrapin Award. Widely recognized as a forward-thinking public health leader and co-author of the first Surgeon General's Report on Oral Health, Dr. Kleinman has made significant contributions throughout her years of service with the U.S. Public Health Service, NIH, NIDCR, and the Office of the Surgeon General. Her pivotal role in the early formation of the University of Maryland School of Public Health was especially highlighted during the celebration.

MUST READS

Medicare Advantage Dental Benefits in 2025: Steady Improvementor More of the Same?

Lisa E. Simon; Kamyar Nasseh; Marko Vujicic

Fluoridated water has long been a quiet cornerstone of public health — until now. With Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pushing to end fluoridation nationwide, and states like Utah banning it, experts warn of serious long-term consequences, especially for vulnerable children. The evidence from places that removed fluoride is clear: more decay, higher healthcare costs, and deeper disparities. So what’s really at stake when fluoride goes away? A lot more than just clean teeth.

Harvard won’t comply with demands from the current administration

Harvard rejected demands from the current administration that threaten $9 billion in research funding, arguing that the changes pushed by the government exceed its lawful authority and infringe on both the University’s independence and its constitutional rights.

Magical Thinking about a Miracle Mineral

Fluoridated water has long been a quiet cornerstone of public health — until now. With Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pushing to end fluoridation nationwide, and states like Utah banning it, experts warn of serious long-term consequences, especially for vulnerable children. The evidence from places that removed fluoride is clear: more decay, higher healthcare costs, and deeper disparities. So what’s really at stake when fluoride goes away? A lot more than just clean teeth.

Budget draft proposes NIH consolidation and 40% spending cut

The budget for the Department of Health and Human Services leaked to reporters on Wednesday proposes a massive $20 billion cut for the National Institutes of Health in 2026 — roughly a 40% reduction — and a sweeping consolidation.

AROUND THE WORLD

Africa Faces Critical Shortage of Oral Health Workers Amid Rising Disease Burden

Africa faces a chronic shortage of oral health workers due to underinvestment, leaving millions of people without adequate care and vulnerable to preventable oral diseases, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) workforce fact sheet on oral health released on April 9, 2025.

MUST WATCH

Dr. Richard Valachovic on Water Fluoridation

00:02:30 minutes

New York City is said to have the best tasting tap water in the world. Doctors and medical experts say it’s also good for New Yorkers’ teeth because it has fluoride in it.

“It doesn’t impact the taste, doesn’t impact anything except the benefits of washing the teeth, particularly in children, and reducing the number of cavities,” Dr. Richard Valachovic, with NYU Dentistry Center for Oral Health Policy and Management, said.

We Can Make Dentistry More Environmentally Sustainable. Are We Ready to Commit?

In a powerful reflection on dentistry’s environmental footprint, Dr. Rick Valachovic explores how U.S. dental schools and clinics are beginning to catch up to Europe’s lead on sustainable practice. From student-led waste audits at NYU to policy pushes for curriculum reform, this article unpacks how the dental profession can reduce its carbon footprint—through smarter supply use, greener materials, digital innovation, and a renewed commitment to prevention. As climate change looms, one question remains: are we ready to make sustainability part of every dental visit?

Advancing Oral Health Across the Lifespan Proceedings of a Workshop—in Brief

With dental care out of reach for many due to provider shortages and lack of insurance, oral disease is becoming a silent epidemic. A November 2024 workshop by the National Academies explored solutions, from policy reform to workforce expansion, to improve oral health across all ages.

2025 National Voices of Medicare Summit Allies. Advocacy. Action.

Wednesday, May 14, 2025 In-Person at KFF’s Barbara Jordan Conference Center in Washington, DC and via Live Webcas
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM ET: In-Person Networking Lunch
12:00 PM – 4:30 PM ET: Summit Program including Live Webcast

REASON TO SMILE

Delta Dental of Arizona, PDS Health Announce Launch of “The Role of Oral Health in Primary Care and Diabetes Awareness”

Delta Dental of Arizona and PDS Health are launching a 12-month study that will highlight the vital role that dentists and dental offices can and should play in engaging patients on the importance of oral health and its impact on their overall health, titled “The Role of Oral Health in Primary Care and Diabetes Awareness.”