What We’re Celebrating and Commemorating in June |
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Pride Month
Celebrated during June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, Pride Month highlights LGBTQIA+ culture, achievements, and activism. It’s also a time to call for unity and equality as the LGBTQIA+ community and its allies increase awareness of inequities, including restrictive policies, stigma, and discrimination. All of this puts LGBTQIA+ people at greater risk of poor oral health outcomes. Here are a few ways you can help:
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Be an advocate for improving oral health care and access for LGBTQIA+ communities
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Educate yourself and your team on delivering quality, cost-effective health care to LGBTQIA+ people (many learning opportunities include CE!)
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Connect with local and national resources that provide social services, advocacy, support, and health services on behalf of the LGBTQIA+ community
Juneteenth
June 19 marked the effective end of slavery in the United States when federal troops came to Texas to free all enslaved people in 1865, a full two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Congress made it a national holiday in 2021, helping to recognize how America was built on slavery and its foundational contributions to slavery. Amid celebrations of African American culture and accomplishments, Juneteenth also highlights the racial inequities that still exist and the work that lies ahead to address them.
Oral Health Month
While we celebrate oral health all year long, June’s Oral Health Month serves as a reminder of the importance of good oral hygiene. This includes diet, oral health habits at home, and seeing a dentist regularly. Here are some resources to share with your patients or clients about good oral hygiene tips:
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Policy Update: Increased Dental Reimbursement Rates in the Virginia Budget |
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On June 21, Governor Youngkin signed the Virginia state budget which includes a 30% increase in Medicaid dental reimbursement rates. This will go into effect July 1.
Medicaid dental providers can expect more information from the Department of Medical Assistance Services about how it will be operationalized.
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Data Bytes: HIV and Oral Health |
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Did you know that people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) have an increased risk of oral health problems, like gingivitis, dry mouth, and cavities? It’s due to the fact that HIV/AIDS attacks the immune system, making it harder for PLWHA to fight infections. Unfortunately, studies have shown that over half (58-64%) of PLWHA don’t receive regular dental care.
The Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) provides support services and direct health care, like oral health, to over half a million people with HIV—more than 50% of all people diagnosed with HIV in the United States. In 2017, the RWHAP published the Oral Health Data Report to summarize the demographic profile and services provided on oral health services and education for Ryan White clients. Some high-level takeaways include:
- 86,676 (16%) of RWHAP clients received oral health services. The rate was higher in Virginia (23%)
- More than half of the provider sites (56%) delivering oral health services were community-based settings
- Most clients (53%) were older than age 50
- The majority (74%) were male
- More than two-thirds (70%) were racial/ethnic minorities
- More than half (59%) were living at or below 100% of the federal poverty level (FPL)
- Spotting early signs of HIV, like oral lesions
- Integrating oral health in primary care will also help improve the overall health of PLWHA
- Addressing barriers to care, like stigma and lack of oral health providers
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June 27 is National HIV Testing Day |
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Knowing your status gives you powerful information to stay healthy. Find testing and prevention services in your area here. |
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Research: Equity Considerations to Sugar Taxes |
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Taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages may be an effective measure to decrease consumption of sugary drinks, but new research urges policymakers to consider who is impacted the most by these policies. Communities of lower income are more likely to drink sugary drinks; in order to mitigate the increased cost equitably, these researchers suggest including low-income or marginalized communities in the design and implementation of taxes on sugary drinks. “While these communities may reap long-term benefits from the tax, they are often bearing the short-term burdens,” the researchers said. “It is crucial that revenue is invested in ways that support low-income communities." |
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Sponsor the Summit
We are well underway in the planning for the Catalyst Annual Summit on October 7, and welcome the opportunity for your organization to sponsor the event! It is sure to be another future-focused and thought-provoking event with discussions covering the intersection of oral health and overall health, racial equity, social determinants of health, and public health policy to name a few.
If you’re interested in supporting the Summit, please contact Alle Witt, Development Director at Catalyst.
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Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF): Clinical and Community Integration Opportunities There’s still one more webinar in this series about SDF! Join dental colleagues on July 18 at 7 pm to discuss case studies and examples of SDF in practice. Click here to register.
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Special Needs Dentistry – You Can Do It! In this FREE two-day, in-person training with 11.5 CEUs, dental professionals can update their knowledge on delivering safe and effective dental care for individuals with special health care needs. Learn more about the agenda and locations here. Registration is open for the following trainings:
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Newport News, VA (July 15-16)
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Henrico, VA (September 9-10)
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