Think Oral Health

How does the current gap in dental care for young children specifically impact their long-term health outcomes?

In this episode, Catherine Hayes, the Chair of the Department of Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology at Harvard, explores the critical and often overlooked issue of dental care accessibility for young children. She sheds light on the necessity of early preventive dental care to beat back the tide of preventable conditions like dental caries that, if neglected, lead to costly treatments, confronting the dual barriers of access and cost that stand between children and dental care despite Medicaid coverage. Catherine discusses the need for a united front among healthcare professionals to enhance public awareness and encourage healthy behaviors and shares her insights on oral health disparities and educational imperatives. Jonathan and Mariya examine with her the burgeoning role of AI, telemedicine, and teledentistry in democratizing care and tackling healthcare inequality, ultimately seeking to realize her vision of a more inclusive and accessible dental care system.

Stay tuned in the conversation that’s redefining the dental industry, focusing not just on treatment but preventive education and community-centric care models.