Bridging the gap: Revolutionizing medical and dental care through a comprehensive clinic

At the new Center for Health Promotion at UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry, patients receive more than advanced dental care—they benefit from an innovative approach that integrates oral health with broader health services. One of the first clinics of its kind in the nation, the center addresses systemic health issues alongside oral health to promote wellness and prevent disease.

“We’re trying to bridge the gap between dentistry and medicine to help patients lead healthier lives,” says Tulsi Patel, MHA, RDH, Director of the Center for Health Promotion.

Launched in January 2024, the center represents a key initiative under the leadership of Dean John A. Valenza, DDS ’81, and underscores the school’s mission to improve oral and overall health. Patients are screened for an array of systemic health concerns, including some types of cancer, weight-related issues, behavioral health conditions, and lifestyle factors. Early successes highlight the clinic’s potential, such as helping patients finally quit smoking after years of struggle—a transformation that significantly boosted their overall health.

For many of the clinic’s patients—most from underserved communities without health insurance—this integrated care model is a lifeline. Without access to comprehensive health services, undiagnosed conditions such as hypertension or diabetes often worsen, creating barriers to safe and effective dental treatment.

“In the past, we had to refer patients out for a medical consultation, and many of them would not return because they could not get the medical care they needed,” Patel says. “We want to take care of everything in-house, help them get treatments to control their systemic condition, and then resume their dental care safely.”

To provide this level of care, the center is in the process of adding two nurse practitioners and looking for a medical assistant and nutritionist to join the team. Once fully operational, the clinic will offer services such as head and neck cancer screenings, blood tests for chronic conditions, and prescriptions for managing illnesses—all seamlessly integrated into its dental care offerings.

“We live in a region with a lot of sun exposure, so we incorporated melanoma screenings,” Patel says. “It’s a quick assessment of their skin type, number of freckles, and family history, but those few minutes can save lives.”

Education is another cornerstone of the center’s approach. Patients learn how to reduce health risks by making lifestyle changes, such as reducing alcohol consumption.

“Many patients do not realize the implications that lifestyle behaviors like alcohol consumption and poor eating habits have on oral and overall health,” Patel says. “Educating patients on how daily behaviors contribute to the state of their health can be powerful for making transformative changes.”

In the future, the center hopes to build partnerships with other UTHealth Houston experts to provide behavioral health counseling services to clinic patients.

Beyond patient care, the center serves as an innovative training ground for future dental professionals. Students like Nicolas “Cole” Pace, a predoctoral dental student, play a hands-on role in delivering care under faculty supervision. This immersive experience deepens their understanding of how oral health connects with systemic health and equips them to better serve their future patients.

“One of my patients had undiagnosed jaw pain and chronic fatigue. Because of our screening process, we were able to get them a consultation with School of Dentistry experts for sleep-related breathing disorders,” Cole says. “Now, my patient is headed down a path of diagnosis and treatment that they otherwise would not have had.”

While many dental schools are exploring ways to implement such models, Patel notes that UTHealth Houston stands out as the only institution actively implementing this approach.

The center currently serves an average of 70 patients daily. Nurse practitioners will soon begin seeing patients about a day and a half each week to help manage conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes—an important step toward expanding the center’s integrated medical services. With philanthropic investment, the center could build on this foundation by enhancing offerings like telehealth and tobacco cessation programs and providing access to advanced testing—all of which support more integrated, affordable care.

“Because many of our patients come from underserved communities, minimizing their costs is essential to ensuring they receive the care they need,” Patel emphasizes.

By uniting dentistry and medicine, the Center for Health Promotion is transforming lives—both for its patients and the future dental professionals who will carry this vision forward.