Team-Based Health Care

A couple weeks ago, we announced that UCSF Dentistry is forming a clinical partnership with UCSF Health — an important step in our vision of embedding oral health in our health care system. I know many of you are excited about what this means for health and the future of our school. Some of you might have questions about why this change is needed and why now is the time for a historic shift in how the fields of dentistry and medicine coordinate to deliver the best care to patients.

It's irrefutable that oral health is a major component of a person's health and wellness. To put it simply, the head is connected to the rest of the body. Neither acts alone. Many illnesses — including cancer, diabetes, and heart disease — are linked to oral cavity conditions, which can be predictors of the development and severity of these illnesses. By combining UCSF's world-class medical and dental care, we will be able to treat our patients more holistically and better coordinate their care year-round through regular exams and other oral health services.

Unlike physician's appointments, which are often scheduled to address an illness, many people visit the dentist twice a year for teeth cleanings and examinations when they're healthy. If we look at these appointments more as wellness checks, we can do more to improve our patients' overall health. They can benefit from a more comprehensive health care system where dentists can provide vaccinations, blood pressure checks and other primary care needs. Our vision is for dentists to become an essential avenue for patients into the health care system, and the partnership that we will build together with UCSF Health moves us closer to this ideal.

In the near term, this partnership will allow our dental patients with chronic conditions to seamlessly access medical care, thanks to increased operational coordination with UCSF Health and connected electronic health records. UCSF Health patients will be able to more easily access specialized oral care and coordinate more of their health care under one roof. We know that this partnership works because it is already underway for pediatric patients at UCSF Medical Center at Mission Bay and for cancer patients who receive oral care. There will be many opportunities to grow and expand access in partnership with UCSF Health. Our first step in building this partnership will be developing a shared vision. One of the key components of this will be putting the care of our patients first.

The future of health care is team-based, and dentistry is moving toward health integration. Marshfield Clinic Health System in Wisconsin, HealthPartners in Minnesota and Kaiser Permanente in Washington state are already partnering these services. It's imperative that UCSF not fall behind. Our position as an academic health system means that we can be a leader in developing a model of integrated care.

The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us that the days of working in silos are gone. We are stronger as an institution — and can do more to advance health — when we collaborate.