Researcher Aims to Bridge the Gap Between Oral and Systemic Health

Sarah E. Raskin, PhD, an associate professor at the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University, is passionate about oral health and its connection to overall health. Dedicated to researching strategies designed to ameliorate disparities in oral healthcare, Raskin spends much of her time researching the dental safety net, workforce diversification, and rural oral health. Her research shows that dental patients who report experiencing discrimination in a dental office are two to four times more likely to have poor oral health, to have gone more than 2 years without seeing a dental provider, and to avoid seeking professional dental care. Raskin has also focused on the lack of minorities entering the dental profession. Publishing frequently in open-access journals open to all, she aims to shift the conversation surrounding oral health and make it an integral part of discussions on health equity in policy planning. Click here to read more.