Today less than 50% of the United States population accesses dental care each year. The United States has one of the poorest health outcomes in industrialized nations, and dental care and the method by which it is provided is not optimized to maximize overall health at large. In addition, dentistry faces growing challenges related to provider burnout, stress, workforce shortages, and mental health concerns, all of which threaten the sustainability of the profession and the quality of patient care.
These panels will explore topics related to both patient and provider wellness in order to address the following questions:
- How should patient wellness and outcomes be defined, measured, and incentivized by 2050 to ensure dentistry meaningfully contributes to whole-person health?
- How can improved access and increased utilization of oral health care be facilitated in the future to improve overall health?
- What will provider wellness look like in 2050, and how can the profession build a more resilient, supported, and sustainable workforce?
- How can systems, technologies, and care models be designed to reduce administrative burden, improve work-life integration, and mitigate burnout?
- What role should dental professionals play in advancing whole-person health, including screening, referral, and integration with broader healthcare systems?