New federal changes under H.R.1 could significantly impact Medicaid and rural health systems across North Carolina. This episode features a conversation with NC Health News reporter Jaymie Baxley about what those changes could mean—and how the state’s new Rural Health Transformation Program aims to support rural communities. The discussion explores the opportunities, limitations, and what’s at stake for healthcare access in Western North Carolina.Add excerpt here

This fall, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Adams School of Dentistry (UNC ASOD) launched the UNC Program for Oral Health Policy. The program was developed in response to longstanding gaps in access, prevention, and workforce distribution in North Carolina, and reflects UNC ASOD’s ACT curriculum (Advocate, Clinician, Thinker), which emphasizes the importance of preparing clinicians who understand how health systems operate and how policy influences patient care. The program incorporates policy analysis, community-based learning, and systems-focused training to provide learners with a clearer understanding of the conditions influencing oral health delivery across the state.