Benevis Promotes Oral Health With Dental Home Playbook

Benevis released a Dental Home Playbook designed to educate healthcare providers on the importance of oral health in their patients.

Benevis, a dental support organization (DSO) for practices focused on dental care and orthodontics, announces the release of its Dental Home Playbook to educate healthcare providers on the importance of helping patients establish a dental home for orthodontics and routine dental care.

The Playbook also provides physicians with oral risk assessments and management tools, checklists, and helpful patient resources to support them in their daily practice. Primary care providers (PCP) and dentists can assist patients and their families by setting the foundation for dental healthcare to eliminate oral disease in children and removing barriers to care by developing lifelong healthy habits.

“The health of teeth, even baby teeth, impacts whole body well-being. When children and their families establish a dental home, it empowers them to learn the life-long healthy habits for proactive, preventative oral care, which also creates positive care experiences and gives children the knowledge to protect their smiles,” said Jane Whang, DDS, regional clinical director at Benevis.

Research has proven oral health’s link and influence on overall health and well-being. However, traditionally in the US, there has been a long-standing care gap between healthcare providers and dentists, especially true for children with Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Programs (CHIP) coverage.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Medicaid, and CHIP Health Care Quality Measures found that the median percentage of children who visited a PCP ranged from 88% to 96% from ages 12 months to 19 years old in 47 US states.

Despite some states including dental services in Medicaid benefits, 52% of all eligible children received no preventive dental service last year. Further, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that oral conditions are frequently considered separate from other chronic conditions.

Poor oral health is associated with other chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. To bridge the medical communities and improve the trajectory of dental health in America, the Dental Home Playbook is designed to help healthcare providers, dentists, and hygienists work together to set patients up for success through a home for routine dental care.

The Dental Home Playbook aims to elevate the importance of oral health in America through collaboration with healthcare providers.

“In America, dental health has a far-reaching implication for overall health, medical costs, and quality of life. Dental disease is a silent epidemic that, if left untreated, can be painful, destructive, and even life-threatening,” said Bryan Carey, CEO of Benevis. “Through healthcare provider and dentist collaboration, we can make a difference in helping to eliminate a patient’s unnecessary dental pain and suffering by focusing on whole-person care.”