November 2022 Newsletter

Dental Assistant IIs Build Capacity and Pathways to Care

Dental assistant IIs (DAIIs) can free up the dentist’s time to see additional patients. Thanks to a partnership between Germanna Community College and Mountain Empire Community College, there will be double the number of DAIIs entering the workforce and a broader pathway for people interested in health careers. To learn more, read the latest Catalyst blog.

Read the Blog

Teledentistry in Virginia Implementation Toolkit

Teledentistry is more than just an emergency use service; it is a versatile and innovative tool to increase long-term access to oral health care. This Virginia-specific toolkit helps providers navigate the steps to implement teledentistry. It includes information about:

  • Provider and patient benefits to teledentistry
  • Technology and equipment
  • Team members and workflow considerations
  • Codes and use cases
  • Best practices
Download the Toolkit

Teledentistry Addresses Patient Hesitancy

As part of a Catalyst grant initiative, CrossOver Healthcare Ministry in Richmond began a teledentistry program connecting patients with HIV/AIDS who are hesitant to access dental care to dental providers. Teledentistry offers an opportunity for patients to meet the dental providers and ask questions before their appointments, while dental team members provide oral health education and help address barriers to care that may prevent the patient from coming to the appointment.


In the future, the team hopes to incorporate teledentistry appointments into additional departments, like obstetrics, to improve access to dental care in the community. 

"We’re looking for the best ways to provide integrated, value-based care for our clients, and teledentistry offers an easy-access format for those with dental care hesitancy or other barriers. It helps open the door for them.”


-Kerri Reed, Dental Program Manager at CrossOver


Funding Opportunity: Teledentistry in Schools

Catalyst staff, in collaboration with the VDH and the Department of Education, will facilitate a learning collaborative for teams working in dental safety-net clinics in Virginia to implement teledentistry programs in schools. Over 48 months, three clinic teams will:

  • Develop and implement a teledentistry model linking schools and dental clinics,
  • Learn teledentistry policy and clinical best practices,
  • Collaborate with staff at a designated local school, and
  • Receive group and one-on-one support to create a successful teledentistry program in schools. 



Applications due Wednesday, November 30.

Apply Here

Word on Water: Perceptions of Tap Water

A 2022 national poll about public perceptions of tap water by the American Water Works Association showed about 70% of the almost 2,000 respondents rated the water in their faucets as excellent or good. That’s fairly consistent with results from 2021. However, more Black respondents reported their water as unsafe in 2022 than they did in 2021 (7% increase), and more people in general reported struggling to pay their water bill on time (8% increase). 



Inequitable access to safe drinking water, particularly among communities of color and low-income households, affects trust in and perceptions of tap water across the US, including Virginia. In early 2023, look out for:

  • Catalyst’s Water Equity Taskforce recommendations to address inequities in Virginia in order to improve ensure equitable access to safe, affordable, and fluoridated drinking water that is trusted and preferred by all Virginians
  • The results of a similar Virginia-specific survey by the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth

Data Bytes: Dental and Medical Visits

Medical and dental integration can improve efficiency in healthcare delivery. A recent study by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) analyzed the Number and Percentage of the Population with Any Dental or Medical Visits by Insurance Coverage and Geographic Area, 2019

AHRQ provided these highlights from the findings:


  • About 37% of Americans (120.6 million) had at least one medical and one dental visit, and 9% (29.5 million) had at least one dental visit and no medical visit.
  • The percentage of Americans visiting both a medical and dental provider was higher among those who had private insurance with dental coverage (47.2%) compared to those who had private insurance without dental coverage (22.8%) or were publicly covered (29.8%).
  • Overall, regardless of insurance status, the percentage of individuals with both medical and dental visits was higher among persons who are non-Hispanic White (43.3%) compared with those who are Hispanic (25.3%) and non-Hispanic Black (26.4%).

How integrated are your organization's medical and dental services? Assess the level of integration using the Oral Health Integration Framework below.

Use the Framework

Does your medical office or dental office need support to better integrate services? Find more integration resources below.

Integration Resources

In Case You Missed It: Medically Necessary Dental Coverage in Medicare

new federal rule narrowly expands Medicare coverage for dental services. Starting in 2023, Medicare Parts A and B will cover dental services that are "inextricably linked to, and substantially related and integral to, the clinical success of certain other covered medical services." Examples include necessary dental exams or treatment prior to organ transplant surgery or cardiac valve replacement, and before treatment for head and neck cancers (beginning in 2024). The rule also establishes a process to continually add to the list of medically necessary issues. 


This is a really important step toward comprehensive dental coverage in Medicare. Thank you to those who reached out to your elected officials to support this change. Please be on the lookout for more provider- and patient-specific information in the weeks and months ahead.

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