A new story on oral health from Healthy People 2020’s Who’s Leading the Leading Health Indicators? monthly bulletin shows how Massachusetts’s HIV Dental Ombudsperson Program helps to remove or reduce barriers that prevent people living with HIV/AIDS from receiving oral health services. With over 200 providers and 5,000 clients actively enrolled, the program provides approximately 7,000 services annually and has identified improved rates in viral suppression, medication adherence, and stable housing among its clients. Read the full story on HealthyPeople.gov.
Healthy People 2020, a federal policy initiative that establishes national public health objectives with 10-year targets and monitors progress over time in meeting those targets, includes several objectives under the topic of oral health aimed at preventing and controlling oral and craniofacial diseases, conditions, and injuries, and improving access to preventive services and dental care.