Skip to main content

Help protect your patients' heart health too

Your dental practice can help drive earlier detection and prevention of cardiovascular disease by incorporating simple medical screenings like blood pressure checks during routine dental care.

  • American Heart Association: Healthy Smiles, Health Hearts®

  • Delta Dental is proud to collaborate with the American Heart Association on the Healthy Smiles, Healthy Hearts™ initiative as part of our commitment to oral–overall health. By helping dental professionals integrate blood pressure screenings into routine care, we’re advancing dental-medical integration, expanding care beyond the dental chair and supporting earlier intervention that can save lives.

Why it matters

Chronic gum inflammation and oral pathogens play a role in cardiovascular health, contributing to systemic inflammation and elevated blood pressure. Dental professionals are uniquely positioned to detect early signs of systemic disease, including elevated blood pressure.

  • Each year, approximately 29 million people are seen for a dental visit but not a medical visit.¹

  • Nearly 9 in 10 dental patients (88%) think of their dental care team as an important part of their overall health care team; most (80%) feel it is appropriate to have information about overall health available in dental care settings.²

  • Two-thirds (66%) of dental patients are interested in more comprehensive care from their dental care teams.²

How to get started

  1. Access the protocols and education resources.
  2. Educate your staff using the patient resources below.
  3. Incorporate blood pressure checks into every patient visit.
  4. Refer patients to primary care when needed and strengthen your role on the care team.

Take action

Professional education

Access the interactive eModule to learn more about the oral-heart health connection and how to collaborate across care teams while earning free continuing education (CE) credits.

Watch the podcasts with health care experts for an engaging discussion on the emerging research linking oral health and heart health.

Explore expert articles to stay informed about the latest research and news on the connection between oral health and cardiovascular health:

Screening and referral

Download the implementation guide to follow the standardized process for blood pressure screening, management and referrals in dental settings. Learn how educating patients on their blood pressure readings may affect their cardiovascular health and streamline follow-up in case of abnormal results.

Patient resources

Encourage better oral and overall health care with ready-to-print resources explaining the oral-heart health connection:


Tip: Display materials in waiting areas and operatories for easy access.

See the latest

Every dental visit is an opportunity to promote healthy mouths and healthy hearts.
Join the movement to set a new standard of care. Together, we can save lives.

 

Every dental visit is an opportunity to promote healthy mouths and healthy hearts.
Join the movement to set a new standard of care. Together, we can save lives.
  1. American Heart Association, Harris Poll. Market research survey of dental patients. Unpublished data. American Heart Association; 2024.
  2. American Heart Association, The Olinger Group. Market research survey of dental professionals and health care professionals. Unpublished data. American Heart Association; 2024.