Pediatrician Patricia Braun treats low-income, uninsured, and underinsured patients at a community health clinic in Denver, integrating oral health into medical checkups for children and pregnant women. With funding from federal grants, primary care providers in various states are receiving training in oral health. Dental hygienists are being embedded in medical practices to provide preventive care and education. However, there are barriers such as workforce shortages, financial uncertainty, and limited access to dental care, especially in rural areas. Efforts are being made to overcome these challenges and increase access to dental care for underserved populations, including integrating dental care into prenatal visits and offering sliding pay scales at health centers.
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Doctors Take On Dental Duties to Reach Low-Income and Uninsured Patients
