Education Solutions to the Medical-Dental Divide.

Abstract

Arbitrarily cordoning off the mouth from the rest of the body is the educational approach that, since 1840, has been responsible for the medical-dental schism that persists today, preventing oral health's integration with overall health. This divide has also thwarted oral disease prevention initiatives, access to services, and health equity. This article offers an educational plan for reunifying medicine and dentistry, which involves interprofessional education, dual degree training, integrating oral health into medical education, and integrated residency training.