Dr. Eric Tranby of the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health (formerly the DentaQuest Institute and DentaQuest Partnership for Oral Health Advancement) shares recent and emerging research findings that highlight inequities in oral health.

Dr. Tranby's recent work includes a report on the intersection of oral health and mental illness; a study with MDAC that reveals stark disparities by race in emergency room admissions for dental visits in Maryland; and a national analysis of commercial insurance and Medicaid claims data that lays bare differences in oral cancer diagnosis and treatment based on sex and race.

Melissa Burroughs of Families USA and Colin Reusch of Community Catalyst recently collaborated on a white paper with the American Dental Association Health Policy Institute that estimates direct expenditures as well as cost savings to states that initiate or expand dental coverage to adult Medicaid participants. The white paper lays out a pathway for federal action on Medicaid programs that would require states to include dental coverage as a basic benefit for all adults instead of the patchwork system that exists today.

Melissa and Colin provide specific examples of the costs to states of not covering dental benefits for adults, as well as direct improvements in overall health, state expenditures, and health equity that will result from changes in Medicaid benefits.