Report Brief - Institute of Medicine

Report Brief - Institute of Medicine:

"Poor oral health can be attributed to a number of factors, including uneven and limited access to oral health care and dental coverage, lack of appropriate quality measures in oral health care, inadequate health literacy among the U.S. populace, and lack of attention to oral health among primary care providers. While access has improved over time, many people—typically those who are most vulnerable—still lack the oral health services they need. Accessing oral health care is particularly difficult for certain populations, including people whose income falls below the federal poverty level, African Americans, Latinos, and children covered by Medicaid."

"HHS has suffered from a lack of high-level accountability, coordination among its own agencies, resources, and sustained interest in oral health."