Drilling Down on Oral Health: Making Dentistry More Accessible and the Connection Between Oral and Overall Health

With respect to the great Sly Stone, this episode of the Catalyst is a family affair. We spoke with three members of the Koehne family, all practicing dentists: Dr. Annie Koehne, who has been practicing at Chestnut Health Systems for just under three years, her mom, Dr. Diane Metrick, who has over 30 years of experience in general dentistry and public health, and the family patriarch, Dr. Michael Koehne, who has been a general dentist for 42 years.  The Koehnes are all committed to improving community health, from making oral health more accessible to underserved populations to spreading awareness of the connection between oral and physical health. We discuss the importance of holistic, integrated care and the role of innovation in overcoming access issues — especially in high-need communities. They share real-world solutions like mobile units, collaborative outreach, and workforce expansion strategies. We discuss Annie’s work with Chestnut and what makes Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) uniquely positioned to address dental disparities.  You'll learn about emerging tools like AI diagnostics, 3D printing, and tele-dentistry that are poised to revolutionize care in ways that were unimaginable a decade ago. The Koehnes share insights into the trends—technology, workforce models, policy shifts—they think will have the most impact on dental health in the next 5–10 years…and close with thoughts on what makes their work so rewarding.  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecatalyst2.substack.com