New organization tackles dental care inequities

A group of dentists have banded together to form Dentists for Oral Health Innovation (DOHI), an organization focused on expanding patients' access to high-quality, cost-effective dental care through the use of advancing models and methods.

Examples of these models and methods include engaging others with progressive systems to handle aspects related to human resources, marketing, legal matters, and insurance processing, the DOHI noted in a press release. By focusing on clinical services rather than business and administrative tasks, dentists increase patients' and communities' access to the oral healthcare they need.

DOHI's next step is to unveil its nationwide campaign to address the dental health crisis.

Patients face barriers to oral health access in three key areas:

• Geography: Some states have just 65 dentists per 100,000 people -- fewer than the number of physicians for that same population.
• Financial: As many as 130 million Americans live without dental insurance coverage.
• Education: Many Americans do not understand the integral role oral health plays in general health.

In response, DOHI seeks to address some of these barriers by focusing on three key commitments:

• Patient care: DOHI member dentists are dedicated to spending as much time as possible on delivering care to patients.
• Continuing education and technology: DOHI members are committed to staying abreast of the latest dental techniques and technologies.
• Philanthropy: DOHI members recognize the value in giving back, whether locally, nationally or internationally. For example, efforts such as mobile dental clinics and free in-office weekend visits help eliminate some of the barriers patients experience in their search for care.

DOHI started with a group of dentists coming together to advocate for patient access to dental care, according to Samson Liu, DDS, president of DOHI. The group intends to collaborate with other dental organizations, such as the ADA.