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You can 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.

Learn more
  • 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. Together, we’re helping dental professionals integrate blood pressure screenings into routine care to detect risks earlier, support patients more fully and save lives.

Why it matters

  • 29 million people visit a dentist each year but not a physician — making your practice a critical first line of defense in identifying risk factors.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

  • Professional resources

    • Blood pressure screening and referral implementation guide
    • Evidence-based guidelines for blood pressure screening, management and referral pathways
    • Professional education that can earn you continuing education (CE) credits
    • Patient education resources to support you in your conversations about blood pressure and the connection of oral health and cardiovascular health

Patient resources

Get educational posters, handouts and conversation guides to explain the oral–heart connection to patients and encourage follow-up with primary care.

How to get started

  1. Access the protocols and training resources.
  2. Educate your staff using the toolkit and patient-facing materials.
  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.

Every dental visit is an opportunity to protect healthy smiles 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 protect healthy smiles 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.