Every day, thousands of Americans wake up on their first day of retirement with no dental health benefits. An estimated one in five low-income seniors lives with dental pain.

The Santa Fe Group and its partners are seeking to change that. At their recent salon, Expanding Oral Healthcare for America’s Seniors, leaders came together to develop initiatives to improve the understanding on aging and oral health. 

In this interview, Joan Gluch, PhD, RDH, PHDHP, Division Chief and Professor of Clinical Community Oral Health at Penn Dental Medicine, explores including dental hygienist in a public health perspective to provide much-needed care to older citizens.