Public Health in the Rockies 2026

Oral health is a critical component of whole-person health, yet significant gaps in access, utilization, and affordability persist across Colorado, particularly in rural and underserved communities. To address the lack of accessible statewide dental data, the Center for Improving Value in Health Care (CIVHC) partnered with the Colorado Dental Association to develop Colorado’s first public Dental Health Dashboard, using data from the Colorado All Payer Claims Database (CO APCD). This project reflects the conference theme, Stronger Together: Public Health in the Heart of the Rockies, by demonstrating how collaboration among public health organizations, dental providers, and health care stakeholders can advance data-driven solutions to improve community health.

This session will present findings from 2022–2025 commercial and Medicaid claims data, examining dental utilization, procedure frequency, and out-of-pocket costs across rural and urban communities, payer types, and demographics (including age groups, sex, and race/ethnicity). Presenters will demonstrate the interactive Dental Dashboard, highlighting disparities in utilization and spending patterns, including lower rates of care among rural residents, younger adults, and some racial and ethnic populations, alongside higher treatment costs in rural communities and among older adults.

Attendees will learn how publicly available claims data can support oral health planning, outreach, policy development, and equity-focused interventions. Participants will leave with practical strategies for using the dashboard to identify disparities, inform local decision-making, and strengthen collaboration between oral health and broader public health initiatives. Time for attendee discussion and interactive dashboard exploration will encourage participants to share challenges, identify potential applications in their own communities, and provide feedback to inform future dashboard enhancements.