Oral Health as Entry to Improve Population Health—Research Implications

Escalating healthcare costs and persistent disparities in outcomes have been linked to delayed engagement in preventive care and the ongoing influence of social determinants of health (SDoH). Current care models often assume that individuals can effectively manage their health and seek care at appropriate times, despite evidence that contextual constraints limit this capacity. This perspective proposes that oral health may serve as a practical and scalable entry point for earlier engagement in preventive care. Oral health problems are highly prevalent, behaviorally influenced, clinically observable, and associated with systemic health conditions. We present a six-pillar conceptual framework linking consumer-reported behaviors with clinician-observed oral health status to support risk identification, engagement, and population health strategies. The framework integrates behavioral science, predictive modeling, social risk factors, digital health infrastructure, and policy innovation. We outline a research agenda, identify implementation challenges, and discuss equity considerations. While oral–systemic relationships are well-documented as associations, further prospective and interventional studies are needed to establish causality and population-level impact.