Engaging vulnerable pregnant patients in oral health screenings and referrals can improve access to dental care, according to a Rutgers researcher
Prenatal visits might include bloodwork, discussions of due dates, vitamins and ultrasounds. But what if these visits could also improve oral health care among pregnant patients?
New research by a Rutgers professor shows that scheduling a dental appointment during prenatal clinic visits — a simple, no-cost task that doesn’t require extra staff – increases the likelihood that patients later see a dentist during pregnancy. The study, published in theAmerican Journal of Public Health, demonstrates the benefits of coordination among healthcare providers and the integration of oral health into prenatal care, especially for vulnerable patient populations.
Historically, dentists avoided treating women during pregnancy unless it was an emergency, or they provided care only during the second trimester. This guidance changed once studies showed that routine and emergency dental care is safe during pregnancy – and current obstetric and dental guidelinesstress that dental care can and should be provided during this period
Oral health care during pregnancy can break the cycle of poor oral health that persists generation after generation within families, which is why updating provider education and expanding community awareness is so critical
Stefanie Russell
Associate Professor, Rutgers School of Dental Medicine and Rutgers School of Public Health
Pregnancy increases the risk of certain oral health conditions, including gum inflammation and, in some cases, tooth decay, making routine dental care even more important during pregnancy. Some oral health issues may affect the fetus or even be transmissible to the child after birth.
Marginalized groups in the United States, including low-income individuals and those insured by
Medicaid, are known to have higher rates of dental disease. Yet women enrolled in Medicaid are far less likely to see a dentist for a cleaning during pregnancy compared to women with private insurance
“Many of those vulnerable to oral disease enter pregnancy with dental disease, and this may worsen during pregnancy,” said Stefanie Russell, an associate professor at Rutgers School of Dental Medicinewith a joint appointment at the Rutgers School of Public Healthand an adjunct associate professor at the New York University College of Dentistry, who led this research while at NYU
One way to try and increase dental care among pregnant women is to reach them where they already are: at their prenatal appointments. To bridge this gap, researchers and clinicians at the NYU College of Dentistry teamed up with neighboring NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, the oldest public hospital in the U.S., to create the New York University/Bellevue Prenatal Oral Health Program.
During weekly sessions at Bellevue’s prenatal clinic, pregnant patients receive a standardized screening to assess their oral health. Those with dental needs are referred to the NYU College of Dentistry for follow-up care, are educated about the importance and safety of dental care during pregnancy and are informed that Medicaid covers dental care
From 2018 to 2020, 420 prenatal patients with Medicaid coverage were referred to NYU Dentistry for follow-up dental care. The majority were Hispanic and roughly half spoke Spanish as their first language. Referrals for dental care took two forms: immediately scheduled dental appointments made before the patient left the prenatal clinic or through a patient navigator. The patient navigator –a bilingual professional –educated patients on oral health, reminded them of their upcoming dental appointments and followed up afterward to identify any issues.
Nearly 44% of patients referred to the NYU College of Dentistry followed through with a dental appointment. Both immediate appointment scheduling and the patient navigator increased the chances of a patient receiving dental care, but those who had appointments scheduled at their prenatal visit were 2.6 times more likely to see a dentist than those without appointments scheduled –even more likely than those who worked with the patient navigator.
“This suggests that immediately scheduled dental appointments can be an effective way to increase dental care utilization during pregnancy, without needing to hire extra staff,” said Shulamite Huang, an assistant professor of epidemiology and health promotion at NYU College of Dentistry and an author of the study
Russell and the other study authors conclude that integrating oral health screening in a prenatal clinic is feasible and increases engagement with dental care during pregnancy. They are continuing their research to measure whether this care improves oral health outcomes and to better understand how dental screening can be successfully integrated with prenatal care in other settings
From March through June 2026, Russell participated in the Rutgers Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) Dental Care in Pregnancy programfor 370 New Jersey health care providers, including dental professionals, nurses, community health workers, social workers, physicians and midwives. The curriculum provided evidence-based clinical guidelines for safe dental care during pregnancy, dispelled widespread myths and fears, explored the link between oral disease and maternal or birth outcomes, addressed infant oral health and feeding and integrated resources related to social determinants of health, mental health and food access.
“Working with prenatal care teams is key for addressing some of the barriers to dental care during pregnancy,” said Russell. “Oral health care during pregnancy can break the cycle of poor oral health that persists generation after generation within families, which is why updating provider education and expanding community awareness is so critical.”
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