Oral Health and Diabetes: An Important Connection

In the last year, 60% of people with diabetes had a medical visit, but did not have a dental visit.1 This is a significant portion of adults with diabetes do not regularly access dental care resulting in high rates of gum disease and tooth loss. Training gaps exist for both medical and dental healthcare providers regarding patient education, screening practices, interprofessional communication, and insurance coverage; factors that limit timely diagnosis, preventive care, and treatment. By increasing awareness for professionals, people with diabetes can see improved medical and oral health outcomes.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Diabetes and Oral Health Facts. Diabetes and Oral Health Facts | Oral Health | CDC

Target Audience: The public health, and health and dental care workforce.

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Speakers

Shelly Taylor, DMD, MPH
Dental Director
The Institute for Family Health

Eric Gayle, MD, FAAFP
CEO, The Institute for Family Health
President, Health Care Services

Learning Outcome and Objectives

As a result of this educational activity, the learner will have increased and enhanced their knowledge and competence on the medical and dental connection between gum disease and diabetes, resulting in practices that improve oral health outcomes.

By the end of the activity, learners will be able to:

Describe the impact of diabetes on oral health, specifically gum disease.
Explain the bidirectional referral process between medical and dental providers.
Identify reasons why people with diabetes are experiencing worse oral health outcomes.
Discuss the importance of maintaining good oral health for the best overall health outcomes for people with diabetes.

Activity Materials

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Continuing Education Credits

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Evaluation, Post Test and Certificate

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