Expanding Access and Equity
Did you know that roughly two in five veterans describe their oral health as fair or poor? This translates to approximately eight million veterans with self-reported suboptimal oral health. Veterans experience poorer oral health outcomes compared to non-veterans; a reality exacerbated by the historically fragmented dental care systems that perpetuate inequities. AIDPH's veteran oral health initiative focus areas include:
Access
Understanding the current barriers
veterans face in accessing oral
health care to support a systems
change framework.
Research
Exploring integrated models of care that
support the unique healthcare needs
of veterans to inform whole-person health solutions.
Advocacy
Partnering with community, state, and national organizations to develop a stakeholder network ready to advance oral health equity for veterans.
Review Our Reports and Publications
Accessing routine dental care is challenging for many veterans — only 15% are eligible for dental care through the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). It’s even harder for veterans living in rural communities, according to a report from the American Institute of Dental Public Health (AIDPH) and CareQuest Institute.
Key findings from the report show that rural veterans are:
- more likely to rate their dental health as “poor” (35.5%) compared with urban veterans (28.5%)
- less likely to qualify for dental care coverage through the VHA (49.3% said did not qualify) compared with urban veterans (39.6% said did not qualify)
- more likely to have or need dentures (39.8%) compared with urban veterans (23%)
- paying higher out-of-pocket costs for dental care compared with urban veterans
Veterans consistently rank dental care as one of the top unmet needs, according to surveys administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Poor oral hygiene, dental infections, and missing teeth can impact employment, compounding poor health with economic instability. Lack of dental care access, coupled with the high prevalence of chronic disease conditions among veterans, necessitates more focus on the underlying health conditions and influencing social determinants for veteran oral health.. 
In the newest report from the American Institute of Dental Public Health (AIDPH) and CareQuest Institute for Oral Health®, "Veteran Dental Care Stimulates the Economy and Improves Overall Health" an economic analysis reveals the whole-health cost savings of providing access to dental care for veterans. Veterans are not effectively accessing dental care. As a result, both veterans and taxpayers are supporting costly care through ED visits and inadequate chronic disease management. Loss of work productivity and the inability to remain employed as a result of untreated dental needs underscores the economic impact of inequitable dental care. Providing veterans with access to affordable, high-quality dental care will improve their overall health and well-being while reducing immediate and long-term costs.
Responding to the needs of the veteran community, AIDPH and CareQuest Institute for Oral Health collaborated with veteran organizations and oral health stakeholders to create a forward-thinking white paper, Veteran Oral Health: Expanding Access and Equity. Using text, data, images, and graphics, the paper identifies gaps in oral health access for veterans and explores ways to address them including:
As the largest integrated health system in the United States, the VHA is best positioned to give veterans the comprehensive dental care they need while benefiting the most from medical savings associated with prevention. In this research brief, learn how expanding dental care through the VHA will save money and pain.Explore Our Veteran Oral Health Data Dashboard
