The mouth is the gateway to the body and in my vision for the future, it is treated as such.  It is no secret that our healthcare system in this country is lacking and that stands true in dental care.  At some point, the oral cavity was separated from our bodies in the eyes of healthcare and there is a disconnect between primary care and dental care.  The year 2000 was the first time the state of oral care in America was addressed by our Surgeon General in his report "Oral Health In America,'' bringing the issue to the forefront. Since then, there have been many studies linking oral and systemic diseases and beyond that, many systemic issues are seen first in the mouth. Without interdisciplinary collaboration, these problems cannot be addressed properly.  In the future, I believe that linking dental and primary healthcare access, not as separate entities, is the key to bridging this gap.  My vision is that every person has access to both dental and primary healthcare no matter their financial state, age or citizenship.  Thus breaking down barriers to care and bringing the importance of oral health up alongside the rest of our bodies.