OHA supports IOM access-to-care report

Oral Health America (OHA) is applauding the Institute of Medicine (IOM) for the group's "careful research" for its report into access to oral healthcare in the U.S.

"Access to oral health and dental care is very much about creating opportunities for all Americans to benefit from the innovative research, technology and practices that prevent disease -- both oral and systemic -- and enable our country to be healthy and productive," said Caswell Evans Jr., DDS, MPH, associate dean for prevention and public health sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry and a member of OHA's board of directors, in a press release. "But it doesn't end there. Understanding how and why our diverse population experiences oral disease is vitally important, as is ensuring adequate and appropriate care for Americans of all ages, health literacy levels, and cultural backgrounds. A one-size-fits-all approach will not work if we are determined to end oral health disparities."

The committee that created the IOM report -- including Dr. Evans -- recommends providing oral health services in a variety of settings and allowing dental professionals to practice to the full extent of their training in various settings, both in and out of the traditional dental office.

The report also suggests that states should raise Medicaid reimbursement rates for dental providers and that dental coverage should be extended to adult Medicaid beneficiaries, while also streamlining administrative procedures. OHA fully supports these recommendations, which would increase access to care for children who already have dental coverage through Medicaid and bring new coverage to adults and older adults with low incomes who currently have very few options for dental care.

The IOM report further highlights the need for greater diversity among the dental health workforce, to bring cultural competency and engagement to those who suffer the greatest disparities in accessing care, according to the OHA.

"By working closely with our community partners and by collaborating on a  national level with partners who represent diverse constituents, we hope to help support a future where racial background is not determinant of access.," said Beth Truett, OHA president and CEO.