By Rikki Laser
rikki-laser@uiowa.edu
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and research grants usually bring images of tall microscopes and black lab benches, but three scientists at the University of Iowa are doing something different. McKernan said, for example, that a project in Iowa “trained dental providers to screen patients for high blood pressure and tobacco use.”
Supporters say there is a financial benefit to combining the different cares.
“There was a study done by the American Dental Association that looked at money that could be saved by having dentists involved with high blood pressure screenings, hypertension screenings, diabetes, [and more],” said Peter Damiano, the director of the Public Policy Center and a professor in the College of Dentistry. including heart disease, diabetes, and cancer share risk factors with oral diseases.”
For example, she wrote, eating behaviors that lend themselves to obesity and high blood sugar are also a “major risk factor” for tooth decay; using tobacco and alcohol often contribute to chronic diseases, oral cancer, and periodontal disease.
Because this is a relatively new topic, McKernan said, “there’s not a lot of information about which activities that integrate medical and dental care are the most effective; we’ll be looking to assess these types of activities and identify ones that show the most promise.”
To collect the necessary findings, the team will be looking through what data has been found and speaking with several key people.
“We will be searching existing published literature, conducting key informant interviews from numerous states, and analyzing existing data related to the integration of oral health in public health programs at the federal, state, and local levels, and the integration of dental services in health-care reform activities,” Reynolds said.
They hope the results of the project will help policymakers choose the most effective public health programs to find funding for, she said.
“The final report from this grant will be used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to strategize and prioritize funding opportunities that align with the best practice outlined in our report,” Reynolds said.
