Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed suit against a group of dental providers and “sham” marketers for allegedly bribing Medicaid patients and for performing medically unnecessary procedures to defraud Texas Medicaid. According to the Office of the Attorney General, … Read More
More than 90% of dentists who have actively been recruiting dental hygienists over the past three months said that it has been “very” or “extremely” challenging, according to a report from the American Dental Association. Nearly 40% of dentists who … Read More
CareQuest Institute for Oral Health® today announced the appointment of An Nguyen, DDS, MPH, as its new Chief Clinical Officer. Dr. Nguyen joins CareQuest Institute from Colorado-based Clinica Family Health and Wellness, where she has served as Chief Dental Officer … Read More
The Trump administration’s fiscal year 2027 budget released April 3 proposes a $15.8 billion cut to HHS, while requesting $1.5 trillion for defense, a 44% increase. The budget would dramatically reshape federal spending priorities across healthcare and national security. It … Read More
As technology rapidly advances, the ways healthcare practices manage patient information have evolved significantly, reshaping how that data is created, stored, and protected. With patient information stored across multiple systems and platforms, the number of potential security gaps has grown. … Read More
A new analysis from Public Citizen found that 446 hospitals are at high risk of closing or cutting services due to planned Medicaid cuts under President Donald Trump. The report looked at financial data from about 95% of U.S. hospitals … Read More
Grab the balloons and light the candles because it’s the sweet 16 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)—as of March 23, at least! The ACA helped bring the US uninsured rate to a record low of 7.7% by 2023, according … Read More
UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry’s doors, visitors encounter a small but meaningful historical display: a detailed timeline and video illustrating milestones in dental history, and a mural professing its mission “to be a leader in dental education.” It’s a quiet … Read More
Oral health is foundational to overall well-being, contributing to everything from chronic disease prevention to long-term quality of life. Yet despite this understanding, financial barriers continue to prevent many – especially those in underserved communities or with non-traditional financial histories … Read More
Sun Life U.S. (SLF) named Tony Mollica president of its Dental business, including DentaQuest, effective March 30, 2026. Mollica will set strategic direction across Medicaid, Commercial and Medicare Advantage segments and oversee membership, retention and managed care strategies. He joins … Read More
Here are 10 statistics and trends showcasing how the orthodontics field is evolving: 1. Several states have enacted legislation requiring in-person examinations before patients can receive orthodontic treatment. The American Association of Orthodontists has advocated for these bills in the … Read More
The ADA is urging the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to carefully consider the impact on dentistry as it develops its proposed Comprehensive Regulations To Uncover Suspicious Healthcare, or CRUSH, initiative. The CRUSH Initiative is a sweeping anti-fraud program … Read More
Here are five statistics pointing to new roadblocks and ongoing challenges in dentistry: 1. Emergency department visits for dental issues unrelated to physical trauma increased by 57.9% among children 14 and under, according to a report from the CareQuest Institute … Read More
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has sued a group of dental providers and sham marketers claiming they bribed Medicaid patients to have medically unnecessary procedures performed. The lawsuit claims that the providers paid marketers to target Medicaid beneficiaries by offering … Read More
All 41 states that expanded Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act will see fewer people covered due to new federal work requirements and more frequent eligibility checks. But the percentage of recipients who lose coverage will vary greatly from … Read More
Texas wants to make it easier for certain children to access services through one of its Medicaid programs – but parents, advocates and medical providers worry the new rule is too narrow. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission, or … Read More
UT Health San Antonio has received a $6.5M gift to support future pediatric-focused professionals in dentistry, medicine and nursing. The Harvey E. Najim Pediatric Health Scholars Program will support education and specialty training for 36 pediatric dental residents, according to … Read More
The Oklahoma House of Representatives has passed a bill that expands the services dental assistants can perform. House Bill 3934 allows dental assistants to work under the general supervision of a dentist to help dental hygienists with procedures hygienists are … Read More
Protecting the federal oral health infrastructure. Improving the dental insurance administration. Alleviating student loan debt. These were the key issues emphasized at this year’s ADA Dentist and Student Lobby Day. Approximately 500 dentists and dental students gathered for the annual … Read More
The Organized Dentistry Coalition, led by the ADA, is urging the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to not prohibit adult dental coverage as an essential health benefit in the proposed 2027 Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters under the … Read More
Pediatric dentistry has become one of the most resilient specialties in the dental industry, with the field experiencing a boost in workforce growth and financial stability. Five notes on the specialty in 2026: 1. The global pediatric dental market value … Read More
Jeffrey Moses, DDS, has received the American Dental Association’s 2026 Humanitarian Award. Dr. Moses is an oral & maxillofacial surgeon from New Braunfels, Texas. He is also the founder of the Smile International Foundation, which provides free surgical care to … Read More
Potential federal funding cuts could heavily impact DSOs’ ability to care for adult and child Medicaid recipients, according to Barry Lyon, DDS. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1) is expected to shrink state Medicaid budgets by $664 billion … Read More
Here are 10 statistics and trends showing how the dental assistant workforce is evolving: 1. Dentalpost reported that dental assistants are the likeliest dental professionals to be seeking new opportunities, with 47% considering changing jobs within the next two years. … Read More
Western Alliance Bank (NYSE: WAL) recently announced a $100,000 donation from the Western Alliance Community Foundation, which serves as the bank’s charitable arm, to support the launch of a new veterans dental care program at Catholic Charities MANA House in … Read More
The digital dentistry revolution is transforming not just workflows but global access to care. With this in mind—and with today being World Oral Health Day—Align Technology is highlighting the importance of improving global oral health. Align’s AI-integrated offerings and advancements … Read More
On the cutting edge of cosmetic dentistry, Guy M. Lewis, DDS, has been creating life-changing smiles for more than four decades. His world-class quality, personalized service, and mastery of smile design have attracted patients from across the globe seeking natural, … Read More
Why OIG Did This Review – The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) is the designated Federal agency that oversees State Medicaid Fraud Control Units (MFCU). – This MFCU fiscal year (FY) 2025 annual report … Read More
Utah Governor Spencer Cox has signed legislation that allows hygienists to practice at hospitals without general supervision from a dentist. Hygienists in Utah are currently authorized to practice in certain public health settings without dentist supervision, including residences, schools, nursing … Read More
Adults living in rural communities with limited access to dental care, in addition to gaps in Medicaid dental coverage, are more likely to rely on hospitals for emergency dental care, according to a new study. Often, the costly and ineffective … Read More
WASHINGTON, March 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — New research from Texas A&M University College of Dentistry (A&M Dentistry), sponsored by Delta Dental, and published in the Journal of Public Health Dentistry, finds that adults living in rural communities—particularly covered by Medicaid … Read More
California, Alaska and Missouri are the three states with the highest number of dental professional shortage areas, with 1,231 shortage areas combined. Here are five key statistics about the workforce and shortage areas in these states, using the latest data … Read More
The ADA supports legislation reintroduced in the U.S. Senate that would extend federal support for oral health initiatives nationwide. In a March 17 letter to Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., the ADA thanked him for introducing the Promoting Dental Health Act, … Read More
The current administration is placing a new emphasis on potential fraud in Medicaid. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS’) current efforts are focused on Minnesota and four other states (three with Democratic governors – California, Maine, and New … Read More
There has been a flurry of legislation affecting dental professionals in 2026. Lately, it seems like states are granting and restricting several aspects of dentistry. There are so many changes circulating that it often seems the public is unaware of … Read More
A dental health program visited two schools recently, reaching 395 students. Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation’s Land of Smiles stopped at Cantrall Elementary School and Laketown Elementary School to educate pre-kindergarten through third-grade students about oral hygiene, nutrition and regular … Read More
Dr. Scott Miller knows exactly what it costs to fit a patient with dentures, place a crown or extract a tooth. A standard, non-surgical extraction costs $92.39. Recently, Miller treated a patient who needed 23 teeth removed. The extractions alone … Read More
An Alamo City institution is adding a new award to its collection. Roadrunners, we see you moving up. The University of Texas at San Antonio (UT San Antonio) announced on Tuesday, March 10, that its School of Dentistry made its … Read More
The ADA is supporting newly introduced federal legislation aimed at ensuring that state dental insurance reform laws apply to self-funded dental plans. The Improving Dental Administration Act was introduced March 12 by Reps. Jeff Van Drew, D.M.D., R-N.J., and Herb … Read More
Dental leaders are considering alternative ways to bring more dental assistants into the state after one of only two dental assistant programs in the state paused its enrollment, NBC affiliate WCYB reported March 11. Mountain Empire Community College said earlier … Read More
