Jun 20, 2019 | Newsroom

Helen Drexler, President and CEO of Delta Dental of Colorado, and Joseph Dill, Head of Dental Science at the Delta Dental Institute, listen to Lt. Gov. Dianne Primavera at Axios' Health Care Vitals event. Photo: Danielle Lirette for Axios.

In conjunction with the launch of the Delta Dental Institute on June 19, Delta Dental convened 25 elected, health care, technology, and other leaders in Denver, CO to discuss pressing health care policy challenges, including access to comprehensive health care.

The discussion was kicked off with remarks from Helen Drexler, President and CEO of Delta Dental of Colorado, who emphasized the importance of oral health, its connection to overall health, and the need for it to be more meaningfully included in the nation’s broader health policy conversation.

The Delta Dental Institute was honored to have at the table Colorado's Lieutenant Governor, Dianne Primavera, who pointed out the need to maintain quality when creating affordability—sparking a number of conversations around oral health and other types of care. Another major theme that emerged was health care in rural communities and how existing technology can bring health services to populations that would not ordinarily have access.

Through the Denver event, and similar events we’ll be sponsoring around the country, the Delta Dental Institute is working to ensure that oral care gets the attention it deserves. The insights gleaned from these discussions will help instruct the Delta Dental Institute’s future work and partnerships with leading scientists, academic institutions, health care groups, and other organizations in pursuit of actionable solutions for improved oral and overall health.  Because every American deserves a healthy smile.

See Axios' coverage of the discussion here.