With an estimated 100 children or more visiting the family health center every Monday, Pediatrician Patricia Braun and her staff are kept busy with routine checkups, flu shots, and treating common illnesses like ear infections. However, Braun and her team go above and beyond the typical responsibilities of primary care doctors by incorporating oral health assessments and preventive measures into their practice. Denver Health, where Braun works, is a safety-net hospital that caters to low-income, uninsured, and underinsured individuals, including many children. Dr. Braun’s efforts are part of a growing trend across the United States to integrate oral health into medical checkups for children, pregnant women, and others who face barriers to accessing dental care. This approach recognizes the high prevalence of oral disease among these populations and aims to provide early detection and prevention services. The integration of oral health services into primary care has gained momentum in the past decade, supported by federal and private funding. However, the expansion of these programs faces challenges such as socioeconomic disparities, workforce shortages in the dental profession, and the unique needs of new immigrant communities. Despite these obstacles, the benefits of integrating oral health into primary care settings are significant. Embedding dental hygienists within medical practices, for instance, has proven effective in increasing the frequency of fluoride application and improving parents’ knowledge about dental care. Additionally, prenatal visits present opportunities to address oral health during pregnancy, a period when women often have increased access to dental coverage and regular medical appointments. Nonetheless, ongoing challenges remain. Financial uncertainties resulting from the unwinding of pandemic-related Medicaid expansions and workforce shortages in dental professions pose barriers to the expansion of these programs and the provision of comprehensive oral health care to vulnerable populations. In conclusion, the integration of oral health into primary care settings holds great promise for improving the oral health outcomes of children, pregnant women, and other underserved populations. However, addressing socioeconomic disparities, investing in workforce development, and finding innovative ways to reach new immigrant communities are crucial to ensuring the sustainability and effectiveness of these programs.
Integrating Oral Health into Primary Care for Improved Access
