On July 23, 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its inaugural Oral Health Cross-Cutting Initiative (CCI) fact sheet. The fact sheet provides an overview of the Oral Health CCI and the program’s key results so far. The Oral Health CCI is led by CMS Chief Dental Officer, Dr. Natalia Chalmers, DDS, MHSc, PhD, and is intended to work across CMS programs, “to achieve equal access to oral health care, eliminate persistent oral health disparities, expand access to oral health services, foster collaborative engagement with stakeholders, and utilize data analytics and innovation to inform policy priorities.” The fact sheet overviews key achievements of the Oral Health CCI, including strengthening dental coverage for postpartum Medicaid beneficiaries, helping dental providers understand the No Surprises Act (NSA), and expanding data collection efforts for oral and mental health. 

The fact sheet is available here. 

Impact on General Dentistry: AGD applauds CMS’ continued focus on oral health initiatives. AGD will continue working closely with Dr. Chalmers to advance oral health and will update members as the Oral Health CCI progresses.