McAllister Castelaz, DMD, FAGD: No financial relationships to disclose
Description: Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) are nonprofit health care facilities that serve low-income patients in medically underserved areas. In 2020, FQHCs treated almost 400,000 veterans, making health centers a significant access point for veteran healthcare. Despite the importance of exploring how the oral-systemic connection influences outcomes for veterans, data and research on veteran oral health care is limited. Drawing from available research and leveraging additional data collected through qualitative reporting, the American Institute for Dental Public Health (AIDPH) and the National Network for Oral Health Access (NNOHA) developed the first best practice publication on veteran oral health for the FQHC community. Empirical evidence on veteran oral health outcomes was used to identify initial topics for best practice collection and scoring criteria. AIDPH and NNOHA disseminated calls for best, promising, and emerging practices from FQHCs throughout the US. Submissions were scored and analyzed by an expert review panel composed of subject matter experts including clinicians, veterans, and researchers. Methodologies that produced positive outcomes, demonstrated social impact, and had the ability to be replicated were prioritized. Final selections were assigned to categories of best, promising, and emerging practices using consensus-based criteria and supporting empirical evidence. Best practices linked by strong causal reasoning to improving access to and quality of oral health were reported in the final publication. This roundtable will discuss how veteran oral health best practices can be scaled and implemented for integrated health care delivery that is more efficient and cost-effective.
Source of Funding:: The National Network for Oral Health Access
