Oral Health Policy & Reform
Oral health is essential to overall health, yet dental coverage, financing, and delivery are fragmented across programs and settings. Policy reform can close access gaps, align incentives with prevention, and integrate oral health into whole-person care. This page curates policy analysis, implementation tools, and coalition updates so partners can act on the most impactful opportunities.
Why Oral Health Policy & Reform Matters
Policy defines who gets care, what is covered, and how prevention is prioritized. Strong oral health policy expands access, supports value-based, prevention-centered financing, and advances oral health equity. Reform ensures dental care is integrated with medical care, improves outcomes for chronic disease, and reduces avoidable costs across the health system.
Policy Landscape
The oral health policy environment spans federal agencies (CMS, HRSA, VA), state Medicaid programs, and local public-health systems. Key levers include coverage design, reimbursement, workforce policy, community prevention, and data interoperability. Momentum is growing to embed oral health into primary care, align benefits with prevention, and address social and structural barriers to care.
Priorities include modernizing benefits (Medicare and Medicaid dental), enabling team-based care, strengthening community water fluoridation, and expanding public reporting on outcomes and access. Together, these shifts elevate oral health as essential to public health and healthy aging.
Systems & Financing Reform
Financing models shape delivery. Value-based approaches can reward prevention, risk assessment, and early intervention; support team-based, integrated delivery; and reduce downstream costs. Aligning incentives across medical and dental care enables shared screening, coordinated referrals, and data exchange that improves whole-person outcomes.
Implementation tactics include integrating oral health into primary care workflows, supporting care coordination in community settings, and standardizing quality measures that capture oral–systemic benefits. States and plans can catalyze progress through benefit design, payment pathways for preventive services, and shared accountability models.
Legislative & Advocacy Priorities
- Expand medically necessary dental coverage in Medicare and strengthen older adult access.
- Expand comprehensive dental benefits across the VA system for veterans.
- Advance medical–dental integration in primary care, ACOs, and community health systems.
- Protect and enhance community water fluoridation as a foundational prevention policy.
- Support workforce and reimbursement reforms that improve access in underserved communities.
Explore current coalition updates and policy analysis in the Coalition for Oral Health Policy news hub.
COHP Strategic Focus Areas
The Coalition for Oral Health Policy (COHP), an initiative of the Santa Fe Group, advances systems change that integrates oral health into overall health policy through inclusive, trusted, and results-oriented collaboration.
- Expand Medically Necessary Dental Coverage in Medicare: Improve access, outcomes, and healthy aging.
- Expand Dental Benefits in the VA Health System: Ensure comprehensive coverage for all veterans.
- Promote Medical/Dental Integration for Whole-Person Health: Enable coordinated, preventive care across settings.
Featured Evidence & Policy Resources
Latest News & Coalition Updates
The Santa Fe Group’s Role
The Santa Fe Group provides research translation, coalition leadership, and practical guidance to advance oral health as essential health. We convene cross-sector partners, synthesize evidence, and support policy implementation at federal, state, and community levels—linking preventive benefit design, medical–dental integration, and equitable access.
Join Our Movement
Help us strengthen prevention, coverage, and equitable access through evidence-based policy and collaboration.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is oral health policy and why does it matter?
Oral health policy sets coverage, financing, delivery, and prevention priorities that determine access to care and population outcomes.
How does oral health policy relate to whole-person care?
Policy can align dental and medical care through integrated benefits, shared screening, and data exchange that support prevention and chronic-disease management.
What are today’s top oral health reform priorities?
Expanding Medicare and VA dental coverage, advancing medical–dental integration, strengthening community prevention, and improving access and equity.
How can value-based payment improve oral health outcomes?
Value-based models can reward prevention, early intervention, and care coordination, reducing avoidable costs and improving quality.
What role does community water fluoridation play in policy?
It is a foundational prevention policy that reduces tooth decay and health disparities at scale when sustained and protected by public policy.
How does policy address oral health equity and access?
By improving coverage, expanding networks, supporting community-based care, and aligning incentives to reach underserved populations.
What is the Coalition for Oral Health Policy (COHP)?
COHP is a Santa Fe Group initiative that brings partners together to pursue equitable, evidence-based policy solutions across Medicare, VA, and integrated care.
How do workforce and reimbursement policies influence access?
They shape who can provide services, where care is available, and whether prevention and coordination are financially sustainable.
Where can I follow current policy developments?
See the Coalition for Oral Health Policy news category for updates on legislation, comments, and coalition actions.
How can organizations collaborate with SFG and COHP?
Engage in shared research, communications, and advocacy campaigns; subscribe for updates; and align local initiatives with coalition priorities.
Page last updated: November 19, 2025
