Promoting Medical/Dental Health Integration 

Oral health is an important part of overall health, this is especially true for Vermonters who have diabetes, coronary artery disease, cerebral vascular disease or who are pregnant.

Patients who have low socioeconomic status are most at risk for oral disease, have the least access to dental care, and are also at greater risk for experiencing chronic disease. Many people who don’t receive regular dental care rely on their primary care physician to tell them if there is a problem. Even though preventative dental care is covered by Medicaid in Vermont, only about 30% of adult Vermonters insured by Medicaid access dental care annually. Primary care practices are keenly positioned to help patients understand the linkages of oral health to systemic health, and a referral from a family physician to a dentist in the community can have a huge long term impact.

Learn More

Medical/dental integration strategies & implementation
  • Use the Qualis Health Oral Health Integration Implementation Guide to pilot an oral health program with a targeted population (e.g., pregnant patients, children, patients with diabetes) in your practice.
  • Learn about the connections between oral health and systemic health, and about how to incorporate oral health into medical practice by participating in the Smiles for Life Oral Health Curriculum.
  • Get to know each other! If you work in a medical practice, get to know the people working in dental practices in your community, and vice versa. Consider developing community referral networks between medical and dental practices, just as you do with other specialists.
Vermont’s dental periodicity schedule

Vermont’s dental periodicity schedule outlines preventive pediatric oral health services that children should receive at their pediatric or general dental home. This schedule contains recourses to help providers implement the recommendations, and indicates where there is overlap between services that can be provided at both medical and dental homes. 

Vermont oral health risk assessment and shared decision-making tool with translations

Vermont Oral Health Risk Assessment and Shared Decision-Making Tool (fillable PDF)

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For dental practices: tips for managing missed appointments

Here is a document from the National Network for Oral Health Access that includes ideas for reducing missed appointments at dental practices.

 

Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF)

Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF) is a liquid that can be brushed on teeth to help stop tooth decay. It is applied to teeth without using needles or a drill, so it can be especially helpful for Vermonters who have difficulty accessing dental health care in a traditional setting (e.g., older Vermonters, and young children). 

Effective July 1, 2023, Vermont Medicaid added CPT code 0792T for the application of silver diamine fluoride to the Medicaid Fee Schedule.  The Medicaid fee schedule can be found here: Vermont Medicaid Fee Schedule. Please see our SDF Fact Sheet for more information. 
 

Taking care of your teeth later in life

Fact Sheet: Taking Care of Your Teeth Later in Life

Working with families
Resources for oral health friendly snacks and beverages
3-4-50 & oral health
3-4-50_ID_Small_Color_1.png

3-4-50  is a campaign to draw attention to the importance of chronic disease prevention.  It refers to 3 health behaviors that lead to 4 diseases that cause over 50% of deaths in Vermont. In order to draw attention to the importance of oral health to chronic disease prevention and management, we’ve created two data briefs linking oral health with the 3-4-50 campaign:

HPV prevention at the dental practice

Vermonters Taking Action Against Cancer's HPV Call to Action for VT Oral Health Care Providers

HPV Prevention at the Dentist?

The human papilloma virus is the primary cause of an increase in new cases of oropharyngeal cancer in the U.S. The steps between oral HPV acquisition and development of HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer are unknown but HPV 
vaccination of adolescents is the most promising prevention strategy. 

UVM medical students assessed HPV vaccine counseling practices among dentists and dental hygienists to improve HPV vaccine promotion in routine dental practice and increase vaccine coverage and cancer prevention in Vermont. Read more about their project and findings.

Resources for Talking About HPV With Parents and Patients at the Dental Office

Buprenorphine and dental health
Vermont's Guide to Fluoride Levels in Public Water Systems and the Fluoride in Well Water Testing Program

Vermont's Guide to Fluoride Levels in Public Water Systems and the Fluoride in Well Water Program provides information on the fluoride levels in public water systems in Vermont and information about Vermont’s Fluoride in Well Water Testing Program. It’s designed to help public health professionals, health care providers, and the public make informed decisions about oral health.