Recent News & Breakthroughs
Read the latest news stories from the Santa Fe Group, its programs and partners.

June Is Oral Health Month
June is recognized as Oral Health Month in the United States. Observed as a time to promote the benefits of oral health care and encourage good dental hygiene, Oral Health […]

Revolutionizing Healthcare Is Not Easy
Researchers and healthcare professionals have studied the connection between oral health and systemic health for many years now. The US Surgeon General drew attention to that connection in its 2000 […]

Anti-Racism in Dental Public Health: A Call to Action
This white paper was written by the American Association of Public Health Dentistry (AAPHD) Councils in response to the events of the COVID-19 pandemic and the growing awareness of racism […]

May is Mental Health Awareness Month
Mental Health Awareness Month has been observed in the United States since 1949. Our mental health is in constant flux and ebbs and flows daily. Many things can impact this […]
Recent Santa Fe Group News
SFG Submits Letter to CMS in Support of Medically Necessary Dental Coverage
The Santa Fe Group drafted a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in response to their request for information/comments on Medicare Parts A and B Payment for medically necessary […]
SFG Receives “Special Recognition” Award from the Edward B. Shils Entrepreneurial Fund
The Santa Fe Group has been chosen as the recipient of the “Special Recognition” Award for 2022 from the Edward B. Shils Entrepreneurial Fund. This award is given to honor […]
In Memoriam
The Santa Fe Group is saddened today with the announcement of the passing of one of their Senior Scholars, E. Dianne Rekow, D.D.S., Ph.D. “It was a great pleasure to […]
SFG’s 2021 Annual Report
We are pleased to present our inaugural Santa Fe Group (SFG) Annual Report. This report marks our 25th anniversary as a neutral convener, communicator, and catalyst for change in advancing […]
Recent COVID-19 News
COVID-19 CHALLENGES AND CONSEQUENCES: Two Years and Still Not Over!
Executive Summary On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. By March 11, 2020, the number of cases […]
Update to Position Paper Series on COVID-19 Consequences and Challenges: A Look at April & May 2021
This June 1 position paper update on COVID-19 focuses on the progress that has been made since the end of March 2021, identifies new developments – including vaccine updates - and addresses the most pressing challenges still facing the healthcare community.
New Position Paper Series Focuses on COVID-19 Consequences
Examines the Role of Oral Health Care Providers in Current and Future Public Health Challenges The Santa Fe Group, an action-oriented think tank seeking to improve lives through oral health, […]
Santa Fe Group Coordinates Testing for Tomorrow [T4T] Collaborative
T4T Education & Industry leaders seek to Identify Best Point of Care Test The Santa Fe Group is proud to coordinate the Testing for Tomorrow [T4T] Collaborative and announce its […]
Recent Health News
WHO Releases the Largest Global Collection of Health Inequality Data
On April 20, 2023, the World Health Organization launched the Health Inequality Data Repository, the most comprehensive global collection of publicly available disaggregated data and evidence on population health and […]
April is National Oral Cancer Awareness Month
This April, the nation observes the 24th Annual Oral Cancer Awareness Month. In 2023 an estimated 54,600 new cases of oral cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S. Of those […]
Spending on Emergency Care Due to Nontraumatic Dental Conditions in the United States
As the only possible source of oral healthcare for those who have no dental insurance coverage, emergency departments are increasingly used to address nonurgent oral health problems in the United […]
June Is Oral Health Month!
June is national oral health month in the United States. Supported by the American Dental Association (ADA), oral health month serves as a reminder of the importance of good oral […]
Recent Health Leadership News
Science-Informed Health Policies for Oral and Systemic Health
A review article published on March 16, 2023, in the Journal of Healthcare Leadership explores the importance of addressing unmet oral health needs and untreated oral disease, and the necessity […]
US Senate Subcommittee Hearing on “An Oral Health Crisis: Identifying and Addressing Health Disparities”
On March 29, 2023, a Senate Subcommittee on health care held a hearing in Washington, DC, titled “An Oral Health Crisis: Identifying and Addressing Health Disparities.” The subcommittee was chaired […]
Dugoni School Symposium Explores How to Reduce Inequities in Oral Health Care
Health practitioners, educators, and leaders from across the country gathered at the University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry for the “Dentistry as Participant and Casualty of […]
Mary Kaye Richter – In Memoriam
The Santa Fe Group members were deeply saddened to learn that Mary Kaye Richter, founder and executive director of the National Foundation for Ectodermal Dysplasias (NFED), died in her home […]
Recent Medicare News
CMS Overhauls Direct Contracting Model to Include New Requirements on Governance, Health Equity in 2023
In response to priorities of the Biden administration, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has redesigned the Global and Professional Direct Contracting (GPDC) Model to add new requirements to […]
Nominations for Medically Necessary Dental Treatment Coverage
In accordance with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) commitment to a continued review of scientific data pursuant to the expansion of Medicare Parts A and B Payment […]
Consortium for Medically Necessary Oral Health Coverage Issues Statement on Medicare Coverage
The Consortium for Medically Necessary Oral Health Coverage commended the Biden Administration for finalizing regulatory policy that will have a direct and meaningful impact [...]
Medicare Considers Expanding Dental Benefits for Certain Medical Conditions
In an article posted on CNN’s website on October 10, 2022, Susan Jaffe, contributing writer of Kaiser Health News and Washington Correspondent for The Lancet, discusses proposed changes in Medicare […]