At DentaQuest, we believe that everyone deserves lasting oral health. But for everyone to have improved oral health, health equity must be a priority.

What is health equity?

You may have heard the term “health equity” and wondered why someone chose to use the word “equity” over the word “equality.” While both words denote fairness, equality indicates that everyone is treated exactly the same. On the other hand, equity refers to an environment in which people are treated differently with the intention of reaching the same goal for all people. Everyone starts with a different set of factors in their lives and therefore need different things to succeed, much like the illustration.

How does this play into oral health care?

Consider for a moment what it would mean if the boxes in the illustration were oral health resources and the goal (seeing over the fence) was actually reaching optimal oral health.

If a dental practice or dental insurer had the power to allocate oral health resources (e.g. access, care coordination, insurance benefits/coverage, additional preventive services, etc.) to people proportionate to their level of need, wouldn’t that make more sense than giving everyone exactly the same thing regardless of need?

Preventistry embraces health equity

At DentaQuest, we support health equity through a variety of initiatives and services, from donating dollars and time in local communities to educating providers about new ways to deliver care.

Ultimately, our collective work aims to level the playing field for people who deal with socioeconomic and other factors beyond their control. So when we say, “Welcome to Preventistry,” we aim to underscore that health equity is a critical component to ensuring everyone is in fact welcome.