Virginia Health Care Foundation

There is increasing recognition of the vital role oral health plays in overall health, influencing everything from the ability of a woman to carry a pregnancy to term, to chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.  Dental providers and medical providers are now becoming partners in care. Explore the resources below on both the connections between oral health and systemic health, and the collaborative efforts and care integration between dental health providers and medical teams.

• In-depth tools and resources to integrate oral health and primary care services with the Virginia Health Catalyst’s (formally Oral Health Coalition) Integration Toolkit.
• The comprehensive Surgeon General’s report, Oral Health in America.
• The American Academy of Periodontology provides information about the link between inflammatory gum disease and chronic health conditions.
• The SBIRT for Dental Practitioners Online Course is a self-paced online course that contains six modules of instruction covering topics related to Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) . The SBIRT Model is an evidence-based practice used to identify, reduce and prevent problematic use, abuse and dependence on alcohol and illicit drugs.
• Virginia’s Quit Now program provides resources for smoking cessation.