Oral Medical Care Coordination- Workforce Development and Operations

Another research brief for our Oral Medical Care Coordination in the U.S. series is out! As a reminder, our first research brief in the series started with the Awareness pillar, focusing on the importance of increasing recognition, knowledge, understanding, and perception about equitable, whole person-coordinated care, as well as the oral-systemic connection across the lifespan. The second week’s brief focused on the second of the four pillars we proposed – Workforce Development and Operations.

The Workforce Development and Operations pillar focuses on the importance of integrating interprofessional education into health professional training, encouraging continuous learning, and expanding workflows to support better collaboration between dental and medical providers. Also, this pillar emphasizes the need to broaden the scope of practice for dental hygienists and other mid-level providers through supportive state laws and licensing requirements.

The Workforce Development and Operations pillar is central to the successful implementation of oral medical care coordination, with numerous studies highlighting the need for comprehensive training programs that encompass both oral and medical health components. This pillar and the Awareness pillar are tied closely together, as well-informed providers are better equipped to execute coordinated care practices, and continuous education reinforces their understanding and commitment to these practices. Just like the Awareness pillar, a key first step is greater investment in infrastructure and training to create a more collaborative, innovative care environment that overcomes barriers like time constraints, insufficient training, and lack of organizational support.

To learn more about this pillar, check out the research brief here: https://www.kdhrc.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Number-37-June-2025_MDI-4_FINAL.pdf