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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Improving Access to Oral Health Care for Vulnerable and Underserved Populations

About this resource:

HHS Non-systematic Review

Source: Institute of Medicine

Last Reviewed: July 2011

Workgroups: Access to Health Services Workgroup

This report examines the status of oral health and oral health care in the United States. The report describes strengths, limitations, and future challenges, and it outlines a vision for a future oral health care system where all people have access to quality oral health care. 
The committee’s recommendations for achieving this goal focus on:

  • Integrating oral health into overall health care
  • Promoting legislation that supports access to care
  • Improving education and training for dental professionals
  • Reducing barriers to care
  • Promoting research
  • Increasing capacity at state and local levels
Read more about this resource

Objectives related to this resource (2)

Increase the proportion of people with dental insurance — AHS‑02
Target met or exceeded
Reduce the proportion of people who can't get the dental care they need when they need it — AHS‑05
Target met or exceeded

Suggested Citation

1.

Committee on Oral Health Access to Services, Institute of Medicine and National Research Council. (2011). Improving access to oral health care for vulnerable and underserved populations. Washington, D.C.: The National Academies Press. Retrieved from https://www.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/publichealth/clinical/oralhealth/improvingaccess.pdf