Tribe aims to improve dental health by bringing smiles to the dental visit

A health clinic in Minneapolis has played a significant role in combating racial gaps in health by prioritizing community-oriented primary care and recruiting staff – including leaders and doctors – from the local community. This model has not just increased trust between patients and the health care system but has also led to a significantly higher rate of vaccination and health screenings.

Black American mothers are about 3.5 times more likely to die from complications related to childbirth than white American mothers. A program called Pregnancy Medical Home in North Carolina has contributed to successfully eliminating this disparity by targeting low-income mothers and focusing on risk factors that contribute to poor maternal outcomes. The program is funded by Medicaid and mothers who are identified as being high risk are paired with a care manager who helps them to achieve the health plans set forth by their doctors.

With the creation of oral rehydration solution, diarrhea can be treated by inexpensive, homemade remedies. O.R.S. has undeniably helped Bangladesh make big strides in improving child health in recent decades thanks to thoughtful, systemic implementation, and it is now distributed by UNICEF in more than 60 countries.

Three hospitals throughout Mississippi rank at the top for having the lowest number of C-sections in first-time, full-term pregnancies. The hospitals achieved this by making midwife care a regular part of the birthing experience, despite not having a midwifery certification program in the state.

Dental offices like Asian Health Services are starting to incorporate mental health care in their dental services. By observing changes in oral health, building trust with patients to talk about their mental health and having them fill out questionnaires about how they’ve been feeling, dentists are able to identify patients that may be struggling and then help connect them with therapy and treatment. Asian Health Services screens 300 to 400 patients per year, about 7% of which are then referred to counseling.

Shoreline Medical is a non-profit primary care network on the Saanich Peninsula that has expanded residents’ access to primary care doctors. The group has successfully attracted family care doctors despite a severe shortage through combining community and hospital-based care. Doctors spend five weeks working in family medicine and one week assisting with low-severity cases in the emergency room. The physician staffing growth has allowed Shoreline to increase their patient case load to over 17,000 residents, 11,000 of whom previously lacked a primary care doctor.

A pop-up mobile clinic in Nevada's Lyon County is providing free dental care to underserved communities as a way to address the lack of practicing dental providers in the region. The response thus far has been overwhelming, but the medical students who work out of the clinic are still planning to expand their outreach efforts to reach more communities.

In Oakland, California, a group of Black birth workers has been working to improve prenatal and postpartum care for mothers by offering care that is designed “by, for, and with Black people.” The group uses a series of evidence-based strategies that are largely based on community-centered care practices, with the overall goal of countering racism in the healthcare system.

Switzerland is home to the world's lowest avoidable mortality rate and residents of the country live longer lives and are healthier than those who live in the United States. Health policy experts credit the Swiss health care system for playing a significant role. Despite the high cost and the penalty for not carrying insurance, the system is praised as guarateeing access to quality health-care and "unlike the U.S., people rarely go bankrupt from medical bills."

The United Kingdom's single-payer health insurance system, known as the National Health Service, has helped citizens obtain the essential care they need without having to worry about the cost of the care. While the model has shown proven success in reducing overall health costs and increasing positive health outcomes, some citizens say that care can be delayed due to demand, which leads them to pursue supplemental insurance.