CareQuest Institute Launches National Campaign to Improve Veterans’ Oral Health

Veteran-led video, coalition of supporters, and new report highlight urgent need for change

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CareQuest Institute for Oral Health® today launched a major national campaign highlighting the urgent need to improve dental care access for millions of veterans nationwide.

At the center of the campaign is a video featuring the faces, voices, and experiences of real veterans, alongside a new report that shows significant disparities in access to care and oral health outcomes among veterans. The campaign has support from a broad coalition of 19 organizations across oral health, public health, academic, policy, and veterans-focused sectors.

Of the more than 9 million veterans who are eligible for medical care through the Veterans Health Administration, 3 out of 4 are ineligible for dental coverage because it’s currently limited to those with service-connected dental conditions or a 100% disability rating.

Even those with coverage are not receiving the care they need. Only about 1 in 3 with Veterans Health Administration coverage uses their dental benefits each year. This gap in access contributes to higher rates of untreated oral disease, avoidable emergency department visits, lost productivity, and increased financial strain.

“While we ask veterans to sacrifice for our country, millions return home without access to basic dental care that they need and deserve,” said Wade Rakes, Chief Executive Officer at CareQuest Institute. “It’s our obligation as Americans to ensure all veterans can access oral health care, which is vital to overall health and well-being. Through this campaign, we hope to elevate veterans’ voices, raise awareness about this urgent health matter, and build support for lasting solutions.”

Data from CareQuest Institute’s report, It’s Time to Give All Veterans a Good Reason to Smile, highlight significant and troubling trends impacting veterans’ health, including:

• Veterans are less likely to have dental insurance compared with nonveterans.
• Veterans are more than twice as likely as nonveterans to seek dental care in an emergency department for an oral health condition.
• Older US veterans are much more likely to have had at least six teeth removed than older nonveterans.

The campaign brings together a coalition of leading organizations that are committed to building support and momentum for expanded dental coverage, provider access, and better integration within veterans’ care systems. Partners include:

• American Institute on Disparities in Public Health (AIDPH)
• Apple Tree Dental
• Everyone for Veterans
• Harvard School of Dental Medicine Initiative to Integrate Oral Health and Medicine
• HealthScape Advisors
• Henry Schein Cares
• Home Base
• MATTER
• National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC)
• National Network for Oral Health Access (NNOHA)
• NxtCare
• NYU College of Dentistry
• OrisDX
• PDS Health
• The Primary Care Collaborative (PCC)
• United Concordia Dental
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Adams School of Dentistry
• University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine
• UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry

To view the campaign video and the report, visit: SupportVeteranSmiles.org. For more information about CareQuest Institute for Oral Health®, visit carequest.org.

About CareQuest Institute for Oral Health®

CareQuest Institute for Oral Health® is a national nonprofit championing a more equitable future where every person can reach their full potential through excellent health. We do this through our work in philanthropy, analytics and data insights, health transformation, policy and advocacy, and education as well as our leadership in dental benefits and innovation advancements. We collaborate with thought leaders, health care providers, patients, and local, state, and federal stakeholders, to accelerate oral health care transformation and create a system designed for everyone. To learn more, visit carequest.org and follow us on X, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.