Article Resources
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Oral Hygiene and Severity of COVID-19 – The Connection
British researchers have found a link between poor oral hygiene and severity of COVID-19 disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.

Clinicians, Dentists, Nurses and Advocacy Group Collaborate to Change Law / Promote Fluoride Varnishing for Children
Starting July 1, certified medical assistants will be allowed to apply fluoride varnish to young children at well-child doctors’ visits, thanks to a collaboration between physicians, dentists, nurses, and a […]
Make Medicare Better
Today, the Medicare program doesn’t provide oral and dental coverage to most Medicare beneficiaries – even when it is needed to treat Medicare-covered diseases. This problem exposes Medicare beneficiaries to […]
Addressing Caries Through the Lens of Social Justice, Health Equity, Human Rights
The forum in Los Angeles identified not only the significance of collaboration between dentists and physicians in preventing caries, but also the important role community oral health workers could play […]
Kaiser Family Foundation Issues Brief on Policy Options for Improving Dental Coverage for People on Medicare
The brief describes five potential ways to strengthen oral healthcare for older adults, with a focus on creating a new dental benefit under Medicare.
Common Dreams – Urging Congress to Support Medicare for All, Groups Declare Universal Healthcare “A Racial Justice Necessity”
“Communities of color need a healthcare system that rectifies these long-standing structural biases and challenges. Medicare for All is that system” by Jessica Corbett .
American Bar Association Votes to Support Medicare Dental
During its 2019 Annual Meeting in San Francisco, the American Bar Association (ABA)’s House of Delegates overwhelmingly passed a resolution urging Congress to support legislation that would repeal the statutory […]
Presentations from SFG 2019 Salon Now Available
See press coverage, view speaker’ pictures, read bios and find presentations from Comprehensive Health Without Oral Health: The Medicare Paradox, our 2019 Salon.
CDHP Spearheads Letter Urging Congress to Include Oral Health in any Medicare for All Policy
Led by the Children’s Dental Health Project (CDHP) and signed by nearly 100 national and state groups, the letter to Congress outlines principles to make oral healthcare coverage part of […]
AARP Survey Results on Oral Health in Older Americans
The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) released the results of a survey investigating the challenges of oral healthcare in the elderly population. Despite results reporting 93% of respondents ages […]
Medicare for All Should Guarantee Coverage for Oral Health
With multiple “Medicare for All” proposals now in circulation in Congress, coverage for oral health care and dental care should be an integral part of these discussions.
Medical Educators are Working to Put the Mouth Back in Medicine
Untreated oral health issues can wreak havoc on health and well-being, yet medical schools have historically taught little about them. Now, some leaders are determined to change that. Oral health […]
Health Economist Says Reform of Dental Care Delivery System Is Vital
In 1926, the work of William Gies helped chart a new course for dentistry. I think we are approaching another “Gies” moment in which the dental community must face some hard […]
Why We Need to Close Gaps in Dental Coverage
“I’m 61 years old and a San Francisco homeowner with an academic position at the University of California-Berkeley, which provides me with comprehensive health insurance. Yet, to afford the more […]
Compendium October Issue Is Live! With Michael C. Alfano Santa Fe Group President, Addressing Dentistry and the Aging Patient
With the number of senior citizens in America quickly escalating, what are the oral health needs of this burgeoning population group? In this special issue, Compendium explores the biological changes […]
As I See It: Closing MassHealth Gap in Oral Health Coverage
“First as a representative and later as the senator for the First Worcester District, one of my priorities has always been to make sure that people have access to the […]
AJPH Article: Dental Homes for Older Americans: The Santa Fe Group Call for Removal of the Dental Exclusion in Medicare
Older Americans need dental homes to receive appropriate dental care and maintain health. Removal of the dental exclusion in Medicare would pave the way for inclusion of dental care in […]
A National Imperative: Oral Health Services In Medicare
Dental benefits are not included in Medicare despite the reality that more Americans are living well beyond their 65th birthdays. In the United States, 10,000 people turn 65 every day, which […]
Santa Fe Group Salon Expanding Oral Healthcare for America’s Seniors
A meeting to explore ways to expand access to oral health care for seniors—possibly by expanding a dental benefit in Medicare—was convened in Arlington, VA, by the Santa Fe Group.