The majority of the responding U.S. medical schools offer very little oral health education. There are few meaningful correlations as to what contributes to schools having a more robust curriculum. Further study is needed to explore how to improve this educational void.

Oral health is one of the most unmet health care needs of adolescents. Oral disease can have a profound effect on overall health, including pain, missed school, heart disease, and even death. Adolescents have specific needs pertaining to oral health in addition to the usual lifelong issues of caries management, sports injury prevention, and dental referrals. Teen years are a higher risk time for oral piercings, increased sugar intake, nicotine initiation, and orthodontic considerations. Adolescents need a unique approach to motivate them about their oral health issues. This is particularly important because lifelong health habits are created during these formative years, and prevention opportunities for sealants and varnish are only available at this age.

Medical providers of all types are beginning to engage in oral health, both academically and in practice. The process has been slow; however, momentum has increased over the past two decades as major health care organizations have emphasized the importance of oral health as a vital part of overall health. This article begins by defining which health providers have and should engage the public in oral health and then briefly reviews the influences that have led health professionals to address oral health in education and practice. This overview is followed by an examination of current trends and successes in oral health education in the health sciences, why oral health is a natural fit for medical care, and the need for a comprehensive approach. The article concludes by exploring roles for each profession and addressing the resources and political will that will be required to meet common goals. This article was written as part of the project "Advancing Dental Education in the 21 Century."

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Family medicine PDs are more aware of the importance of oral health, yet less oral health is being taught in residency programs. Developing more faculty oral health champions and connecting programs to dental faculty and coalitions may help reduce this educational void.