Oral Health Resources
Our oral health library features the latest trends and actionable information to optimize oral health care efforts. Use our Contact Us page form to submit more suggestions.
Exciting New Edition of OHNEP Interprofessional Oral Health Faculty Toolkits
The Oral Health Nursing Education and Practice (OHNEP) Program is excited to share the second edition of the OHNEP Undergraduate Interprofessional Oral Health Faculty Tool Kit and the third edition of the OHNEP […]
COVID-19 CHALLENGES AND CONSEQUENCES: COVID’S Twilight: Less Disruptive– But Not Over Yet!
COVID delivered yet another gruesome milestone of over 1 million deaths in the U.S, outstripping the total number of deaths in both World Wars plus the Vietnam and Korean wars. […]
Improving Oral Health During Pregnancy: A Call to Action
Improving the health and wellness of all children begins with comprehensive prenatal care and optimal oral health during pregnancy. In 2000, the Surgeon General’s report, Oral Health in America, highlighted […]
Caring.com
Seniors and Dental Health: A Comprehensive Guide to a Healthy Mouth According to the American Dental Association, 68% of older adults suffer from gum disease, and nearly 20% have untreated […]
Make Medicare Better
Today, the Medicare program doesn’t provide oral and dental coverage to most Medicare beneficiaries – even when it is needed to treat Medicare-covered diseases. This problem exposes Medicare beneficiaries to […]
Additional Resources
RWJF Executive Summary on Childhood Obesity
Childhood obesity is a major public health problem in the United States. An association between childhood obesity and dental caries, the most prevalent disease of childhood, has been suggested. One […]
Dietary Changes to Prevent Childhood Obesity and Consumption of Sugar‐Sweetened Beverages
A scoping review of skills and tools oral health professionals need to engage children and parents in dietary changes to prevent childhood obesity and consumption of sugar‐sweetened beverages Lisa F. […]
Assessing Attitudes and Actions of Pediatric Dentists Toward Childhood Obesity and Sugar‐Sweetened Beverages
Assessing attitudes and actions of pediatric dentists toward childhood obesity and sugar‐sweetened beverages Robin Wright PhD Paul S. Casamassimo DDS, MS
Pediatric Obesity‐Related Curricular Content and Training in Dental Schools and Dental Hygiene Programs
Pediatric obesity‐related curricular content and training in dental schools and dental hygiene programs: systematic review and recommendations Kimon Divaris DDS, PhD Vaishnavi Bhaskar BDS, MPH Kathleen A. McGraw MA, MLS
COVID-19 Resources
COVID-19 CHALLENGES AND CONSEQUENCES: Omicron takes center stage – complicating policies, guidance, and practices
JANUARY UPDATE (November through December 2021) Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic’s impact is—and remains—immense. The way we disseminate information has changed, leapfrogging findings from the traditional peer-reviewed process to rapid dissemination […]
COVID-19 CHALLENGES AND CONSEQUENCES: Significant Improvements, but Infodemic, Mandate Resistance, and Burnout are Still Threats
NOVEMBER UPDATE (September through October 2021) Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed vulnerabilities in the public’s trust in health care professionals and the health care system itself. The Santa Fe […]
COVID-19: A Catalyst for Engendering Public Trust in Health Care and Building Back a Better Health Profession Response
COVID-19: A Catalyst for Engendering Public Trust in Health Care and Building Back a Better Health Profession Response (COVID-19 Challenges and Consequences: December 2019-January 2021) Authored by Dr. E. Dianne […]
Oral Hygiene and Severity of COVID-19 – The Connection
British researchers have found a link between poor oral hygiene and severity of COVID-19 disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.
Integrated Healthcare Resources
Making the Case for Interprofessional Education and Practice Collaboration to Address Rising Rates of HPV-Associated Oropharyngeal Cancers
According to a recent report of the CDC, oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma is currently the most common HPV-associated cancer in the United States. Patient awareness about HPV cancer risk remains […]
Clinicians, Dentists, Nurses and Advocacy Group Collaborate to Change Law / Promote Fluoride Varnishing for Children
Starting July 1, certified medical assistants will be allowed to apply fluoride varnish to young children at well-child doctors’ visits, thanks to a collaboration between physicians, dentists, nurses, and a […]
Clinical Consensus on Medically Necessary Dental Care – Fact Sheet
Across numerous medical fields, professionals agree that good oral health is critical to overall health, and an important component of treating or managing many diseases. The Clinical Consensus on Medically […]
Justice in Aging Develops Statutory Analysis of an Oral Health Benefit in Medicare
The Justice in Aging organization released an issue brief analyzing the current statutory framework for Medicare Part B, the advantages of creating an oral healthcare benefit through existing Part B […]
Oral Health Equity Resources
Addressing Caries Through the Lens of Social Justice, Health Equity, Human Rights
The forum in Los Angeles identified not only the significance of collaboration between dentists and physicians in preventing caries, but also the important role community oral health workers could play […]
Common Dreams – Urging Congress to Support Medicare for All, Groups Declare Universal Healthcare “A Racial Justice Necessity”
“Communities of color need a healthcare system that rectifies these long-standing structural biases and challenges. Medicare for All is that system” by Jessica Corbett .
AARP Survey Results on Oral Health in Older Americans
The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) released the results of a survey investigating the challenges of oral healthcare in the elderly population. Despite results reporting 93% of respondents ages […]
Medicare for All Should Guarantee Coverage for Oral Health
With multiple “Medicare for All” proposals now in circulation in Congress, coverage for oral health care and dental care should be an integral part of these discussions.
Teeth in Medicare Resources
Medicare Oral Health Care Update
Addressing the problem of Medicare’s lack of meaningful oral health coverage has long been a focus of the Center for Medicare Advocacy. Over the decades, the Center has assisted beneficiaries […]
2019 Salon Special Report: “Inside Dentistry”
Summary of the 2019 Santa Fe Group Salon: Comprehensive Health Without Oral Health: The Medicare Paradox
Ebook: Compendium of Continuing Education in Dentistry
Special Report by The Compendium of Continuing Education in Dentistry on the 2019 Santa Fe Group Salon: Comprehensive Health Without Oral Health: The Medicare Paradox
Kaiser Family Foundation Issues Brief on Policy Options for Improving Dental Coverage for People on Medicare
The brief describes five potential ways to strengthen oral healthcare for older adults, with a focus on creating a new dental benefit under Medicare.