Best Wishes for Happy Holiday Season and a Healthy New Year

No matter what holiday you celebrate this season, we wish you good oral health.
Happy Holidays from all of us at DentaQuest.

View our video greeting here: DentaQuest Holiday

Better Care for Today; a Better Healthcare System for Tomorrow

Guest blog post by Cindy Hannon, DentaQuest Institute Quality Improvement Manager

I just had an inspiring experience at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s (IHI) 23rd Annual Forum. Over 6,000 participants (yes 6,000!) converged on Orlando, Florida to focus on quality in healthcare. Over the last year, I have been working with DentaQuest Institute partners on three Quality Improvement projects in dental care – Dental Sealants for Adolescents, Early Childhood Caries (ECC), and Elimination of Dental Disease.

I wanted to attend this year’s IHI Forum because the DentaQuest Institute is gearing up for an exciting 2012 with a strong focus on quality and a prevention-focused, disease management model of care. There is a lot to be learned from the work of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. Its successes are lessons in the kind of change management that facilitates improvements within a care system. Time and again, people that I met in sessions and around the conference said they were so happy to have people involved in dentistry at the quality table.

Maureen Bisognano, President and CEO of IHI started the two-day forum reminding us of our purpose -- we are capable of “making better care for today and a better healthcare system for tomorrow.”

With Quality Improvement, we are “acting for the individual but learning for the population.” Stories of patients and their families are important tools: “Stories,” Maureen reminded us “are first personal, then they become public, and then collective, and lastly, they become political.” There is a connecting thread: we help the individual and what we learn supports improvement for others. A compelling patient story helps grab attention today and builds the will for change. Our patient encounters help us understand the situation (patient, disease and environment) and devise better solutions. Data help us make the case to move change through the system. Quality improvement, at its core, is applying reliable new knowledge (science-based evidence) with a goal of better outcomes.

On the plane returning to Massachusetts, I sat in my seat tired but full of energy. Charlie Homer, MD, MPH, President of the National Initiative for Children’s Health Quality (NICHQ) and a national leader in improving the quality of healthcare for children, was on the same flight. Jane Taylor, EdD, an Improvement Advisor for IHI, was also on the flight. I was just a few rows behind them. It occurred to me –dentistry may be behind medicine in this quality improvement work, but we are all on the same flight, headed for the same destination… better health outcomes. And, I am thinking about the stories we will have to tell.

To Fill or Not to Fill: That is the Question

By Dr. Doyle Williams, Chief Dental Officer, DentaQuest

Recently, the New York Times published an article, “A Closer Look at Teeth May Mean More Fillings for Dentists,” which discussed microcavities and the different ways dental care providers treat them. A 22 year old college student who had grown up without ever having a cavity visited a dentist while at college and found out she had a cavity – in fact, multiple cavities. Somehow, in just 12 months, she went from perfect oral health to having many cavities. How can that be?

Ever new technologies make it possible for dentists to find very early stage cavities (microcavities) that can’t be seen with X-rays or the naked eye. These technologies are an effective tool in identifying early decay and allowing dentists to address it before it progresses to become a bigger and more painful problem.

The microcavities they detect are abnormalities which can be an indication of the beginnings of tooth decay. For patients who previously had perfect oral health, hearing they may have a number of cavities that need to be filled is a shock. If you are concerned that a diagnosis doesn’t match up with your prior dental history (and there has been no change in your home care or health), it is never a bad idea to get a second opinion.

Today, when dental teams catch disease in an early stage, there are more options for patients than the traditional filling. For example, dentists can watch and wait to see what happens as suggested in the article by Dr. James Bader, a research professor at the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry.

Another approach is to take preventive steps. The diagnosis of a microcavity may lead a dentist to recommend the application of sealants, a thin plastic coating applied to the teeth to protect them from the bacteria that causes dental disease and the potential for further decay.

Or, a dental health professional may attempt to help “heal” the tooth. At the DentaQuest Oral Health Center, the dental team would take steps to reduce the level of the decay-causing bacteria in the patient’s mouth, and enhance the body’s natural ability to replace minerals. So instead of placing fillings that will need to be replaced in the future, they use other measures to stop early decay, help the tooth heal, and then make it more resistant to future decay. It’s a prevention-focused approach to oral health care.

My colleague, Peter Blanchard, DDS, MBA; Director, Evidence-based Practice, DentaQuest Oral Health Center, wrote an op ed in response to the New York Times article entitled “To fill or not to fill: That is the question” which was published on DrBicuspid.com.

Finding cavities early is never a bad idea. It gives us more options to help our patients stay disease free.

Recognizing “Excellent” Dental Programs

By Dr. Mark Doherty, Executive Director, DentaQuest Institute

The DentaQuest Institute had the great honor of hosting the John Rossetti Memorial dinner at the 2011 National Primary Oral Health Conference. John was a personal friend and a great advisor to the DentaQuest Institute and its Safety Net Solutions program. He was one of the program’s first Expert Advisors – our elite faculty of experienced public health dentists who are mentoring safety net dental programs across the United States. It was a great privilege to host the memorial dinner and to endow our annual Centers of Excellence Awards with John’s name.

The John Rossetti Centers for Excellence awards recognize elite safety net dental programs of 2011– programs that displayed tremendous leadership and excellence in oral health practice management, greatly improving access to care and the oral health status of their patients. The recipients of this award provided the leadership and initiative necessary to make positive change “stick” within their dental programs.

The five 2011 Centers of Excellence partnered with Safety Net Solutions technical assistance and practice management consulting over the course of the past year. They were challenged to institute difficult changes with the goals of increasing access, promoting financial sustainability and improving oral health outcomes.

The five programs selected this year truly deserve the “Excellent” title – they have outstanding evaluation data to show that the changes they implemented have lead to measurable improvements in many areas of the dental program.

The 2011 Safety Net Solutions Centers of Excellence are:

• HealthCare Connection in Ohio
• Native American Health Center in California
• Dental Center of NorthWest Ohio
• Harbor Health in Massachusetts
• Wake Health Services in North Carolina

We commend each of these Centers for Excellence, and thank all of the safety net dental programs for being examples of sustainable dental care in their communities. I think John Rossetti would be proud of all of them.

What you don’t know about oral health may hurt you

By Dr. Doyle Williams, Chief Dental Officer

When people hear the phrase, “I’m in good health,” chances are they aren’t thinking about their mouths.

But you should. A regular check up with your dentist is as important as an annual physical. If you are someone who is afraid of the dentist and only make an appointment when you are in pain – think of this: regular preventive care is not painful and it will help prevent painful visits in the future. Good oral health serves much more than cosmetic purposes – it is integral to your overall good health.

Teeth, gums and oral soft tissue are all susceptible to a range of conditions and diseases, including cavities, gingivitis and oral cancer. The irony is that dental disease – cavities and gum disease – are nearly 100 percent preventable if you know what to do. It’s what you don’t know about oral health that may hurt you. That’s oral health literacy.

Culturally-competent oral health literacy is as important as seeing an oral health professional. For some, a painful tooth may be enough reason to schedule a visit with a dentist. But others may wait to see bleeding, swelling, or a fever before thinking about getting care.

That’s the challenge of oral health literacy – making sure people know how to care for their teeth and gums, making sure they know the signs for concern, and making sure they know when and where to go for help.

Here are two examples:

• The U.S. Surgeon General stressed that parents who are unfamiliar with the importance and care of their child’s primary teeth are unlikely to take appropriate action that may prevent Early Childhood Caries (ECC). That includes food choices, bedtime bottle routines, daily oral hygiene, and failure to see a health professional as the baby teeth are starting to come in.

• Recently, a 24-year old father from Cincinnati, Ohio died from a tooth infection because he could not afford his medication. When his face and mouth began to swell, the man visited the emergency room at his local hospital where he was given prescriptions for pain medication and antibiotics. Because he could not afford both medications, he only filled the prescription for the pain medication. That helped the pain but the infection continued to spread, eventually to his brain.

Knowledge is power. Everyone has a role in making sure that oral health is an integral part of their overall health.

What do you think needs to be addressed to improve America’s oral health literacy?

Oral Health is Now a Leading Health Indicator

By Steve Pollock, President, DentaQuest

At the annual meeting of the American Public Health Association this week, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced three new categories of Leading Health Indicators for the Healthy People 2020 campaign. The good news is oral health has been identified as a Leading Health Indicator category…finally.

Healthy People 2020 identified 17 oral health goals -- from reducing the rate of dental caries in the primary and permanent teeth of children and adolescents – to increasing the number of children, adolescents and adults who use the oral healthcare system.

HHS named Oral Health a Leading Health Indicator because it is a critical health issue that, if left unaddressed, could result in future public health problems. DentaQuest could not agree more.

Everything we do is focused on our singular mission to improve oral health. Our Preventistry^SM philosophy ensures a unique focus on prevention, disease management, quality care, and cost effective benefit program administration, and recognizes and supports the important provider-patient relationship in achieving good oral health. Our DentaQuest Institute isolates areas where we know there is a better way to prevent and manage oral disease, and works to make new and proven dental therapies routinely available in the dental office. Historically, new evidence-based care learnings take years to become accepted and practiced in the dental office setting, and the Institute is working to change that. Our DentaQuest Foundation is driving a grassroots movement across the nation to improve oral health with its Oral Health 2014 Initiative, awarding 20 state organizations funding and resources to reduce oral health disparities, one of the biggest cost drivers in the American health care system.

We are committed to our mission and intent on setting goals and measuring our success against them. We’re working on that. But with Healthy People 2020’s designation of oral health as a Leading Health Indicator, our ability to affect our mission takes a major step forward. With the endorsement of HHS and the power of Healthy People 2020 focused on oral health improvement, much will be done to prevent oral disease. Our population will be healthier and our state and national health care systems will see costs go down. Without good oral health, it’s impossible to enjoy good overall health.

Oral diseases are almost 100% preventable. With the right focus and resources, oral disease is one chronic health problem that we can target and eliminate – in our lifetime. I am convinced that with a coordinated system of collaboration and persistence, oral diseases can become a thing of the past.

Building a Movement for Optimal Oral Health

By Ralph Fuccillo, President, DentaQuest Foundation

According to a recent report from the Institute of Medicine, “Millions of Americans are not receiving needed dental care services because of "persistent and systemic" barriers that limit their access to oral health care. Nearly 5 million children went without regular dental checkups in 2008 because of financial limitations. 33.3 million Americans live in an area with a shortage of dental professionals.” Improving Access to Oral Health Care for Vulnerable and Underserved Populations

Stories like this illustrate the need that drives the DentaQuest Foundation’s investments in oral health improvement at the national, state and local levels. Previously, I wrote about the DentaQuest Foundation’s support for the U.S. National Oral Health Alliance which is engaging national partners in oral health improvement goals.

People feel the pain of their inability to get needed services at the local level. So today, I am writing about the Oral Health 2014 Initiative. This new signature program of the DentaQuest Foundation is building a movement for oral health at the state and community level by supporting the work of state-based organizations that are developing effective community solutions.

When we announced the Oral Health 2014 initiative, we immediately saw a clear need and interest in community solutions for oral health across the United States. Over 200 program leaders from nearly every state joined in our Request for Proposals launch webinar in June. Seventy (70) organizations responded with their ideas. Thirty-six (36) were invited to submit a full proposal.

Today, Oral Health 2014 is taking root and moving forward in 20 states. I am enthusiastic about every one of these organizations. Each is working to build support for oral health solutions in their communities, engaging traditional and not-so-traditional partners. Oral Health 2014 is a multi-year initiative. The DentaQuest Foundation is committed to each organization’s success, providing financial and technical resources to help them move their projects forward.

This is an important moment for oral health. These 20 state organizations join the growing national movement of collaborative leaders who are aligned in their desire to address oral health disparities-- many hands working toward a common goal.

I extend the gratitude of the DentaQuest Foundation to the National Advisory Committee of leaders in community health, philanthropy, civic engagement, and members of the founding board of the U.S. National Oral Health Alliance. They provided guidance in the development of the program and the selection of grantees.

• Dr. Caswell Evans of the University of Illinois, DentaQuest Foundation Board of Directors and the U.S. National Oral Health Alliance Founding Board of Directors
• Paul Gilmer of Triana Energy and a member of the National Community Committee of the CDC Prevention Research Centers
• Dr. Leslie E. Grant of the National Dental Association and the U.S. National Oral Health Alliance Founding Board of Directors
• Marion Kane, formerly of Barr Foundation and currently on the Board of the Directors for the DentaQuest Foundation
• Dr. Dushanka Kleinman of the University of Maryland School of Public Health and the U.S. National Oral Health Alliance Founding Board of Directors
• Barbara Leonard of the Maine Health Access Foundation
• Sandra Owens Lawson of CRP Corp.
• Dr. Lindsey Robinson of the California Dental Association Foundation and the U.S. National Oral Health Alliance Founding Board of Directors, and
• Dr. Donna Shelley of New York University School of Nursing and Dentistry.

Congratulations to our new Oral Health 2014 partners! I encourage you to join them in building collaborative solutions.

The DentaQuest Foundation will continue to look for ways to support local leaders in their important work to make oral health a public health priority. We encourage every group who was interested in Oral Health 2014 to stay active as oral health advocates by contributing their talents and enthusiasm to the work of the U.S. National Oral Health Alliance which is tackling the same priority areas at the national level.