Press & Media

Medicare is the federal health insurance program mostly known for serving adults over the age of 65 regardless of income. Nearly half a million Nevadans are enrolled, but they must still pay out of pocket for dentures or routine dental procedures like cleanings, fillings and tooth extractions.

When it comes to oral hygiene, regular brushing and flossing is only part of the process. A toothpaste that contains fluoride is the only proven way to prevent cavities. But dental experts warn that some consumers are swapping fluoride toothpaste for fluoride-free ones.

Your child’s oral health depends on a wholesome diet and teaching them good hygiene habits — along with early exams and intervention when there’s an issue.

How are foundations trying to help? The Funders Oral Health Policy Group (FOHPG), for example, has twenty-two members—“funders that invest in oral health strategies that include policy change,” says Colleen Lampron, its facilitator.

For people with diabetes, oral disease can make it more difficult to control blood sugar, which can increase the need for hospitalizations.

A mobile dental clinic is looking to bring a smile to people in the Tri-Cities.

Poverty’s harsh effects on health start before babies are born and pile up throughout their adult lives.

What do these ads featuring Joe Camel, Kool-Aid Man and the maniacal mascot for Hawaiian Punch have in common? All three were created by Big Tobacco in the decades when cigarette makers, seeking to diversify their holdings, acquired some of America’s iconic beverage brands.

By 2030, more than 20 percent of the US population, including all “baby boomers,” will be sixty-five or older. Yet two-thirds of Medicare recipients don’t have dental coverage.

U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), a member of the Senate Finance Health Care Subcommittee, has introduced legislation (S. 22) that creates a dental benefit under Medicare Part B. Currently, Medicare does not pay for routine oral health care like checkups, cleanings and x-rays, restorative procedures, or dentures.