10 August 2023

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Delta Dental addresses senior oral health crisis through systemic, legislative action

By Laura Newpoff, published in the Sacramento Business Journal

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Santa Cruz County in California is home to pristine beaches, lush redwood forests and rich farmland, and the residents who live there experience sunshine 300 days a year. The county is also home to more than 50,000 seniors, who are the most underserved and vulnerable population when it comes to oral health care.

That’s why the Delta Dental Community Care Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Delta Dental of California, is partnering with community health centers, Dientes Community Dental Care (Dientes) and Salud Para La Gente (Salud), as part of its Senior Oral Health Coalition Program.

The program launched in April 2022 to address the oral health crisis among older adults in the U.S. The new California partners join existing Washington, D.C., coalition members, Howard University College of Dentistry and Mary’s Center, a Federally Qualified Health Center, to promote the connection between oral health and overall health, improve access and create greater equity in the care and treatment older adults receive.

Prompting this important effort are alarming statistics about seniors and their access to oral health care. A December 2021 report by the National Institutes of Health cited adults aged 65 years and older as the most critically underserved for oral health care in the U.S. A survey commissioned by Delta Dental further underscored this health crisis and found that 80% of older American adults do not visit the dentist as often as recommended, with access being one of the main barriers.

In Santa Cruz County, which Dientes and Salud serve, a 2022 oral health needs assessment revealed that only one in four seniors with Medicaid was able to get needed dental care.

“We know there are many underserved populations who lack access to oral health care, most notably older adults, and especially those of color,” said Sarah Chavarria, president of Delta Dental of California, a purpose-driven organization that aims to improve health by providing access to quality care. “That underscores why the work of our Community Care Foundation is so important. It addresses access gaps through the funding it provides to organizations that help seniors receive oral care regardless of circumstance.”

Read more in this article, which is sponsored content by Delta Dental of California.

Learn more about Delta Dental's efforts to address the senior oral health care crisis.