Interprofessional practice in the era of accountability.

A large and increasing segment of the population does not access the traditional oral health care system until they have advanced disease, pain and infection. Opportunities for improvement of this situation include applying new science in chronic disease and caries management, using community-based telehealth-connected teams, emphasizing interprofessional practice by integrating oral health into educational, social service and general health systems, and focusing attention on oral health outcomes in the era of accountability.