American Heart Association and Delta Dental Team Up for Integrated Care

As dental and medical expand their knowledge of the link between heart health and dental health, Delta Dental and The American Heart Association have partnered to launch the Health Smiles, Healthy Hearts™ initiative. The initiative has two hopes–to accomplish expanded access to integrated, equitable care and to educate patients on this link, according to a press release from the companies.

Healthy Smiles, Healthy Hearts will call on dental clinicians to incorporate heart health screening at regular appointments. This screening includes blood pressure screenings which can be a significant indicator for any cardiac concerns, per the press release. Through these screenings, dentists and hygienists can refer patients to primary care physicians depending on the results.

A whole-body approach was the inspiration for this initiative, according to American Heart Association Volunteer president, director of the Stanford Cardiovascular Institute and Simon H. Stertzer Professor of Medicine & Radiology at the Stanford School of Medicine Joseph Wu, MD, PhD, FAHA.

“Oral health care professionals can play a pivotal role as part of a whole-body care team to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease,” Dr Wu said in the press release from the company. “When dentists and primary care physicians work together, we can create many more access points for quality, integrated health care and educate our patients on the impact of good oral hygiene on total health and well-being.”

Per a study cited in the press release, many patients see their dentists twice a year but are less likely to visit their primary care provider as much.1 This can cause certain issues and concerns to slip through the cracks, but dental clinicians who see their patients more often can rise to serve that need, per the press release.

“Oral diseases can significantly impact systemic health, and preventive oral care routines are critical to reducing associated health risks, including cardiovascular conditions,” Chief Dental Officer for Delta Dental, Daniel Croley, DMD, said in the press release. “Our collaboration with the American Heart Association marks a pivotal step towards strengthening access to quality, integrated care and emphasizes the role of dental visits as part of a holistic health check which can offer early detection and cardiovascular disease and other conditions.”

To learn more about this initiative, visit the landing page here.

Reference

1. Fleming E, Singhal A. Chronic Disease Counseling and Screening by Dental Professionals: Results From NHANES, 2011–2016. Prev Chronic Dis 2020;17:200152. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.5888