Report offers data-driven roadmap to improve oral health access, shape public policy and support a diverse, equitable dental workforce
Quick Summary: The Oral Health Equity Report offers a review of challenges to oral health equity and strategies to support recruitment, retention and investment of diverse dental professionals. Equity in oral health “is not just a concept about fairness. It is a strategic approach to improving care delivery, patient outcomes and sustainability,” said Richard Graham, DDS, CDA Foundation Board chair.
CDA and its charitable arm, the CDA Foundation, jointly released this month the Oral Health Equity Report, providing a framework to help strengthen patient care and guide investments in oral health equity. The report offers a review of challenges to oral health equity and strategies to support recruitment, retention and investment of diverse dental professionals.
Report is an extension of CDA-championed initiatives
CDA in 2022 adopted a policy reaffirming its commitment to removing systemic barriers that contribute to poor health outcomes. That policy guides a broad set of initiatives focused on access and inclusion across the profession. The Oral Health Equity Report builds on decades of CDA leadership in this area. CDA Cares, Proposition 56 tobacco tax-funded Medi-Cal reimbursement increases, the Specialty Dental Clinic Grant Program and Smile Crew CA are all programs that exemplify CDA and the Foundation’s long-standing commitment to equity in both policy and practice.
CDA President Max Martinez, DDS, states, “Equity is not a sidebar to what we do; it is core to how the CDA and CDA Foundation operate, and it’s important to members. This report reflects that alignment and our shared responsibility to serve all Californians with compassion and to advocate for individuals who are underserved.”
Richard Graham, DDS, CDA Foundation Board chair, said that equity in oral health “is not just a concept about fairness. It is a strategic approach to improving care delivery, patient outcomes and sustainability.”
Longstanding disparities in access to care and workforce representation intersect with broader public health and economic challenges that are highlighted in the report. Investing in provider recruitment and improving cultural competence, for example, results in more stable, connected care for patients and stronger support for the dental teams who serve them.
Equity-focused solutions align with broader goals
CDA and the Foundation’s leadership and release of this report is especially timely as policymakers and providers seek to allocate limited resources in ways that deliver measurable impact. Equity-focused solutions highlighted in the report often align with broader goals, such as reducing costly emergency care and preparing a workforce to serve a diverse population. By addressing these gaps, California can strengthen the overall effectiveness of its oral health care system.
Read the Oral Health Equity Report. Learn more about the CDA and Foundation programs and supported initiatives referenced in this article: CDA Cares,Specialty Dental Clinic Grant Program,Smile Crew CA and Proposition 56 tobacco tax-funded reimbursements.