Oral health is integral to patients' health and well-being yet often remains siloed from other aspects of medical care. Because many systemic diseases are linked to oral health, there is a need for medical-dental integration, especially among vulnerable populations who are at higher risk for oral diseases but face barriers to accessing quality oral health care.
"Seniors are at an elevated risk of chronic oral health conditions," says Emory University Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing Associate Professor Hope Haynes Bussenius, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN, FAR. "Despite the risks, some health insurances do not cover routine dental care, and competing health priorities often take precedence for seniors over dental visits."
To improve the oral health of aging populations, the Delta Dental Community Care Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Delta Dental of California and affiliates, has awarded another year of funding to the Emory School of Nursing to recruit more students who are focused on medical-dental integration and to expand and evaluate the Oral Health in Communities and Neighborhoods (OH-I-CAN) smartphone application.
The OH-I-CAN app provides an accessible way for health care providers to screen for oral health issues and assess the oral health-related quality of life, says Bussenius, who is principal investigator (PI) of the grant.
In partnership with Grady and the HEALing Community Center, geriatric patients will receive a tutorial of how to use the app while seeing their provider, then they can capture and upload photos and videos of their oral cavity remotely to the app for providers to review. The Emory research team plans to evaluate the feasibility of aging patients using the app in the year ahead. Professor Charles E. Moore, MD, who founded the HEALing Community Center, is collaborating with Bussenius on the grant.
"This grant will be transformative for our community because in addition to recruiting more students, we can improve the oral health of seniors by providing an easy-to-use app for patients and providers that helps to bridge the gap between medical and dental care," explains Bussenius.
The funding is the third grant from the foundation to support two programs in the Emory School of Nursing, which has received $365,000 over the past three years. Since 2011, the Delta Dental Community Care Foundation has contributed more than $150 million to local community partners to increase access to care, address health disparities, drive health equity, and promote innovation in the oral health field.
About the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing
As one of the nation's top nursing schools, the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University is committed to educating visionary nurse leaders and scholars. Home to the No. 1 master's, No. 1 BSN and No. 6 DNP programs nationwide, the school offers undergraduate, master's, doctoral and non-degree programs, bringing together cutting-edge resources, distinguished faculty, top clinical experiences and access to leading health care partners. Learn more here.
About Delta Dental Community Care Foundation
The Delta Dental Community Care Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Delta Dental of California and its affiliated companies, including Delta Dental Insurance Company, Delta Dental of Pennsylvania and Delta Dental of New York, Inc. Since 2011, the Community Care Foundation has awarded more than $150 million in funding and support to increase access to quality dental care, oral health education and to advance scientific research across the company's 15-state service area and Washington, D.C. Learn more here.
