By John A. Johnson, MD, MBA, FACP
Chief Medical Officer of Government Employees Health Association (GEHA)
The original version of this editorial was published in Oral Health Kansas’ weekly newsletter on October 11, 2023.
At GEHA, we advocate for “health equity,” which means that we want everyone to have a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible. This requires an intentional mindset.
Dental health equity poses a multi-pronged challenge: there is a shortage of dentists and dental hygienists in general. Specifically, there is a growing gap in minority representation in these fields. Compounding this issue, underrepresented communities often receive less dental care due to everyday factors like lack of access in communities.
It’s important to provide awareness and education of the resources available so that people can take control of their health. This means understanding the individual communities that we each serve. By emphasizing resources and building trust with people in communities, we can provide the quality dental care that our members deserve.
Here at Government Employees Health Association (GEHA), we know that quality care is best achieved when there is an understanding of the member and the community that they live in. This includes understanding the perspectives, barriers and access limitations of those within underrepresented communities. In the past 18 months alone, to help provide more equitable oral health and dental hygiene care, GEHA and GEHA Solutions, Inc. (an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary), has committed itself to supporting and diversifying the dental industry through the following:
These types of efforts can make an immediate difference in the community, and we look forward to seeing the long-lasting effects.
Current (57)
Unfiltered (68)