It is my belief we can do better to service vulnerable populations such as senior citizens in nursing homes, cognitively impaired individuals, hospitalized patients, and more when it comes to oral health, as well as its impact on overall health.

With people in these populations – who are in low-income communities, nursing homes, hospitals, and more – access to dentists and other dental professionals is often lacking.

That means community health workers are often the first line of defense to ensure that dental health doesn’t have an adverse effect on the person’s overall health. And they are the first to spot issues with dental health that could indicate serious underlying health conditions.