Academic literature on the topic 'Poor Dental public health. Dental Care Medical Indigency. Public Health Dentistry'

Fluorides and sealants have been shown to reduce caries in populations, making fluoride interventions a large part of the dental public health effort. Although public health programs have traditionally focused on fluoride vehicles delivering less than 1,000 ppm of fluoride, more recent efforts have shifted toward the use of high fluoride vehicles such as varnishes and prescription toothpastes. In the USA, states are developing innovative strategies to increase access to dental services by using primary care medical providers to deliver early preventive services as part of well-child care visits. Currently, Medicaid programs in 43 states reimburse medical providers for preventive services including varnish application. Still, there is uncertainty about the cost-effectiveness of such interventions. In many resource-strained environments, with shortages of dental health care providers, lack of fluoridated water and lower dental awareness, it is necessary to develop sustainable programs utilizing already established programs, like primary school education, where caries prevention may be set as a priority. Dental caries among the elderly is an ongoing complex problem. The 5,000-ppm F toothpaste may be a reasonable approach for developing public health programs where root caries control is the main concern. Fluoride varnish and high concentration fluoride toothpaste are attractive because they can easily be incorporated into well-child visits and community-based geriatric programs. Additional research on the effectiveness and costs associated with population-based programs of this nature for high risk groups is needed, especially in areas where a community-based fluoride delivery program is not available.

Incident reports are important for improving the quality and safety of medical care. Healthcare workers with less than one year of work experience have been reported to cause the most incidents, and the most common incident is “drug-related”. However, few studies have comprehensively analyzed incidents in dentistry, and the characteristics of dental incidents have not been understood. In this study, to understand the characteristics of dental incidents, we comprehensively analyzed 1291 incident reports submitted to the Tokyo Medical and Dental University Dental Hospital from April 2014 to March 2019. As a result, dental outpatient and dental wards had different types of incidents. In outpatient wards, incidents included many dentistry-specific incidents related to “procedures”. Among them, “poor physical condition of the patient during dental treatment” was the most common incident. In contrast, the most common incident from subjects with less than one year of work experience was “damage to soft tissues around the teeth”. Thus, to improve the quality and safety in dentistry, it is was considered necessary to analyze and understand the characteristics of dentistry-specific incidents and to take appropriate measures and educate dental professionals.

The first few months of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic challenged health care facilities worldwide in many ways. Inpatient and intensive care unit (ICU) beds were at a premium, and personnel shortages occurred during the initial peak of the pandemic. New York State was the hardest hit of all US states, with a high concentration of cases in New York City and, in particular, Bronx County. The governor of New York and leadership of hospitals in New York City called upon all available personnel to provide support and patient care during this health care crisis. This case study highlights the efforts of Jacobi Medical Center, located in the northeast Bronx, from March 1 through May 31, 2020, and its use of nontraditional health care personnel, including Department of Dentistry/OMFS (Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery) staff members, to provide a wide range of health care services. Dental staff members including ancillary personnel, residents, and attendings were redeployed and functioned throughout the facility. Dental anesthesiology residents provided medical services in support of their colleagues in a step-down COVID-19–dedicated ICU, providing intubation, ventilator management, and critical and palliative care. (Step-down units provide an intermediate level of care between ICUs and the general medical–surgical wards.) Clear communication of an acute need, a well-articulated mission, creative use of personnel, and dedicated staff members were evident during this challenging time. Although not routinely called upon to provide support in the medical and surgical inpatient areas, dental staff members may provide additional health care personnel during times of need.

The number of medically compromised dental patients is increasing every year with the increase in the super-aged population. Many of these patients have underlying psychiatric problems and diseases, which need to be recognized by dental professionals for better treatment outcomes. The aim of this narrative review article is to summarize the psychological and psychiatric backgrounds of medically compromised patients who are frequently visited and taken care of by dentists using findings from recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Anxiety and symptoms of depression, post-traumatic stress disorders, panic disorders, poor cognitive functions, and poor quality of life were some of the common psychological backgrounds in medically compromised patients. Additionally, the consequences of these psychological problems and the considerations that need to be taken by the dentist while treating these patients have been discussed. Dental professionals should be aware of and recognize the different psychological backgrounds of medically compromised dental patients in order to provide appropriate dental treatment and to prevent oral conditions from worsening.

ABSTRACT Introduction Although dental emergencies are primarily aimed at pain relief, in practice, dental emergency services have been overwhelmed by the massive inflow of patients with less complex cases, which could be resolved at basic levels of health care. They frequently become the main gateway to the system. We investigated the determinant factors of demand at the Central Dental Emergency Unit in Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil. Materials and methods The questionnaire was applied to 521 users to evaluate sociodemographic profile; factors that led users to seek the service at the central dental emergency; perception of service offered. Results About 80.4% of users went directly to the central dental emergency, even before seeking basic health units. The reasons were difficulty to be attended (34.6%) and incompatible time (9.8%). To the perception of the necessity of the service, responses were problem as urgent (78.3%) and pain was the main complaint (69.1%). The profile we found was unmarried (41.5%), male (52.2%), white (62.8%), aged 30 to 59 (52.2%), incomplete basic education (41.6%), family income up to 2 minimum wages (47.4%), and no medical/dental plan (88.9%). Conclusion It was concluded that the users of central dental emergency come from all sectors of the city, due to difficult access to basic health units; they consider their complaint urgent; and they are satisfied with the service offered. Clinical significance To meet the profile of the user urgency's service so that it is not overloaded with demand that can be fulfilled in basic health units. How to cite this article Matsumoto MSA, Gatti MAN, de Conti MHS, de AP Simeão SF, de Oliveira Braga Franzolin S, Marta SN. Determinants of Demand in the Public Dental Emergency Service. J Contemp Dent Pract 2017;18(2):156-161.

Objective:To evaluate infection control measure in a public sector dental hospital of Peshawar.Methodology:It was a cross sectional study conducted in Khyber college of Dentistry. Study subjects were Dental health care providers who were willing to participate in the study. A structured questionnaire was designed that included various categories of infection control. Data was entered into SPSS version 17. Descriptive statistics were applied and frequencies and percentages were obtained.Results:The results from the data shows that the overall score for the infection control standards were less than 50%. Among the various categories of infection control only personal hygiene standards showed good score (77.3%). Personal protective equipment score was adequate (61%) while hand hygiene score was inadequate (52%). The rest of the categories showed poor scores.Conclusion:The result of the study shows that majority of categories of infection control measures at Khyber college of Dentistry are inadequate or poor.

Globally, periodontal disease and diabetes have achieved epidemic proportions and have become a top health care priority. Mutual bidirectional exacerbation of these conditions is promoting creation of cross-disciplinary integrated care delivery (ICD) models that bridge the traditionally siloed health care domains of dentistry and medicine. By engaging focus groups inclusive of both medical and dental providers and one-on-one interviews, this qualitative study investigated provider knowledgeability, receptiveness, and readiness to engage ICD and sought input from the medical-dental primary care practitioner participants on perceived opportunities, benefits, and challenges to achieving ICD models for patients with diabetes/prediabetes. Statewide regional representation and inclusivity of diverse practice settings were emphasized in soliciting participants. Thematic analysis of focus group and interview transcripts was undertaken to establish current state of the art, gauge receptivity to alternative ICD models, and seek insights from practitioners surrounding opportunities and barriers to ICD achievement. Forty providers participated, and thematic analyses achieved saturation. Providers were well informed regarding disease interaction; were receptive to ICD, including implementation of better screening and referral processes; and favored improving interdisciplinary communication inclusive of access to integrated electronic health records. Perceived barriers and opportunities communicated by participants for advancing ICD were documented.

Since its emergence in China, the COVID-19 pandemic has become the number 1 health challenge in the world with all affected countries trying to learn from each other’s experiences. When it comes to health services, dental care does not seem to be a priority area, despite the fact that it is among the highest risk medical specialisations in terms of spreading the infection. Using the Department of Community Dentistry of Semmelweis University as a case study, the objective of this paper is to introduce and analyze the system and organizational level measures, which have been implemented in dental care in Hungary during the first months of the COVID-19 outbreak. The system level measures to promote social distancing, to reduce the use of health services and to protect high risk health professionals, together with the deployment of protective equipment and the reorganization of patient pathways at the organizational level proved to be effective in keeping the outbreak in control. There are two, less frequently mentioned ingredients of successful coping with the COVID-19 challenge. First, mental health support is at least as important as physical protection. Second, most of the interventions do not require big financial investments, but behavioural change, which in turn requires leadership and change management skills.

O Brasil possui um sistema de saúde com cobertura universal (Sistema Único de Saúde- SUS) defendendo a saúde como um direito de todos os cidadãos e dever do estado. Apesar deste sistema público universal, o sistema de saúde brasileiro é composto por um mix público-privado que favorece cobertura duplicada aos serviços de saúde para a parcela da população com posse de plano privado de saúde. Um quarto dos brasileiros possui plano privado de saúde e, portanto, tem acesso duplicado aos serviços de saúde. A posse de plano privado de saúde e o uso dos serviços médicos e odontológicos precisam ser analisados neste contexto. Os objetivos desta tese são analisar as tendências no uso dos serviços de saúde médicos e odontológicos e verificar sua relação com a posse de planos privados de saúde. Os resultados desta tese estão organizados em dois manuscritos. O primeiro manuscrito “The relationship between private health plans and use of dental and medical health services among Brazilians: a cross-sectional study, 2008” teve por objetivo descrever o uso de serviços de saúde médico e odontológico de acordo com o tipo de serviço utilizado (público, privado ou por plano privado de saúde) e analisar o efeito do cadastro na Estratégia de Saúde da Família (ESF). Neste estudo foram analisados 391.868 indivíduos provenientes do banco da Pesquisa Nacional de Amostra Domiciliar (PNAD) de 2008. Como esperado, indivíduos sem plano privado de saúde utilizaram mais o serviço público, enquanto aqueles com plano utilizaram mais os serviços do seu plano. Ainda, os indivíduos com plano privado de saúde tendem a utilizar mais os serviços de saúde. Por outro lado, estar cadastrado em ESF aumenta o uso do serviço público e reduz o uso do privado e do plano entre os indivíduos sem plano e aumenta a chance de usar qualquer serviço entre aqueles que têm plano. Assim, políticas para a expansão da ESF devem ser incentivadas e a posse de plano privado precisa ser monitorada e regulada para evitar gastos desnecessários em saúde e o aumento das iniqüidades no acesso, principalmente em países com sistema universal de saúde. O segundo manuscrito “Tendências no uso de serviços de saúde médicos e odontológicos e a relação com nível educacional e posse de plano privado de saúde no Brasil, 1998 a 2013” teve como objetivo analisar as tendências no uso de serviços de saúde médico e odontológicos por adultos no Brasil entre 1998 e 2013 em relação à posse de planos privados de saúde e nível educacional. Foram analisados 760.678 indivíduos oriundos dos bancos de dados nacionais da PNAD de 1998, 2003, 2008 e da Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde de 2013. Adultos (18 a 59 anos) com posse de plano privado de saúde apresentaram chance maior de usar os serviços de saúde comparados àqueles sem plano em todos os anos analisados. No entanto, houve tendência de diminuição do uso dos serviços médicos entre indivíduos com posse de plano privado de 1998 para 2013. Em relação ao uso dos serviços odontológicos, o declínio foi observado de 2003 para 2013. O percentual de adultos com plano privado para assistência médica diminuiu de 24,9% para 22,2%, enquanto a tendência de posse de plano exclusivamente odontológico aumentou de 1,0% para 6,3% de 1998 para 2013. Tendência de aumento no uso de serviços de saúde, médico e odontológico, entre adultos sem plano privado de saúde também foi verificada. Acompanhar as tendências na posse de planos privados e no uso dos serviços, bem como avaliar o estado de saúde e o tipo de serviço utilizado (público, pagamento direto do bolso ou através do plano) são necessários para auxiliar o estado na regulação dos planos e evitar o aumento das iniquidades no acesso e uso dos serviços entre os cidadãos.<br>Brazil has a health care system with universal coverage (Unified Health System, or SUS) advocating health as a right to all citizens and a duty of the state. Despite this universal public system, the Brazilian health system is composed of a public-private mix that favors doubled coverage for part of the population with private health plan. About a quarter of Brazilians has private health insurance and therefore has duplicate access to health services. The private health plan possession and the use of medical and dental services need to be analyzed in this context. The objectives of this thesis are to analyze trends in possession of private health plans and verify their relation to the use of medical and dental health services. The results this thesis is organized in two manuscripts. The first manuscript "The relationship between private health plans and use of dental and medical health services among Brazilians: a cross-sectional study, 2008" aimed to describe the use of medical and dental health services according to the type of service used (public, private or private health plan) and assess the effect of being registered in the Family Health Strategy (ESF). This study analyzed 391,868 individuals from the 2008 National Household Survey (PNAD). As expected, individuals without private health plan used more public health services, while those with private health plan tend to use more their plan. Overall, those with private health plan tend to use more the health services. On the other hand, being registered in ESF increased the use of public service and reduced the use of private service among individuals without private health plan, and increased the chance to use any service among those with plan. Thus, policies for expanding ESF should be encouraged and private health plans need to be monitored and regulated to avoid unnecessary expenses on health and increasing inequities in access, especially in countries with universal health systems. The second manuscript " Trends in use of dental and medical services and its association with education and having private health plan in Brazil, 1998 to 2013" aimed to analyze trends in use of medical and dental health services among Brazilian adults between 1998 and 2013 in relation to private health plans and educational level. The sample included 760,678 individuals from the PNAD in the years 1998, 2003, 2008 and the National Health Survey in 2013. Adults (18-59 year-old) with private health plan were more likely to use health services compared to those without a plan in every years analyzed. However, there was a trend of decrease in the use of medical services among adults with private health plan from 1998 to 2013. In relation to the use of dental services, a decrease was observed from 2003 to 2013. The percentage of individuals with medical plans has decreased from 24.9% to 22.2%, while the trend in exclusively dental private plan has increased from 1.0% to 6.3% from 1998 to 2013. Trend the increase to use health services between adults without private health plan was found in medical and dental service. Monitoring trends in the private health plan possession, and health services use, and to assess the health conditions and the type of service used (public, private out-of-pocket or through the plan) are important for the state regulation and to avoid increasing inequities in access and use of health services among citizens.

The World Health Organization defines a health care system as: . . . all organizations, people and actions whose primary intent is to promote, restore or maintain health. This includes efforts to influence determinants of health as well as more direct health-improving activities. . . . . . . (WHO 2007) . . . Such a definition covers a myriad of potential elements and factors, of which the dental element is but one. A health care system is not static: it evolves as part of the more general social and welfare arrangements in a society. As a member of a health care profession, all dental care providers need to have an appreciation of the wider aspects of any arrangements of health, its determinants, and care delivery, if only to understand how the pressures on a system may impact on their current and future activities. This chapter provides an overview of health care systems and provides the framework for Chapters 18–23. Health care systems are complex organizations that are in a constant process of change and evolution. Dentistry is one very small component of the wider health care system, which is itself part of the overall social welfare system within society. Dentists, as health professionals, need to understand the basic elements of the health care system within which they are working. The development of health care systems is an ongoing process in which all societies try to meet the health needs of its citizens. There is no society that has yet designed a system that meets the needs of all its citizens. Indeed, historically in many countries it was only the wealthy that were able to access health care in a society. As societies evolved, the pressures to make the health care system accessible to all its members grew. Mays (1991) has highlighted the political importance of health care, showing that many health care systems reforms were designed to prevent political instability and improve the fitness of army recruits. Indeed, the development of the then School Dental Service in the UK was brought about following questions in Parliament about the poor state of soldiers’ teeth in the Boer War.

Public health is now recognized as being a core component of the undergraduate medical and dental curricula in many parts of the world (Association for Dental Education in Europe 2010; General Dental Council 2011; General Medical Council 2009). This recognition acknowledges that public health is an important subject relevant to the practice of medicine and dentistry. This chapter will outline what is meant by public health and, in particular, its relevance to clinical dental practice. The philosophical and historical background of public health will be reviewed and the limitations of the traditional system of health care highlighted. Finally, a dental public health framework will be outlined to highlight the central importance of public health to the future development of dentistry. Dental public health can be defined as the science and practice of preventing oral diseases, promoting oral health, and improving quality of life through the organized efforts of society. The science of dental public health is concerned with making a diagnosis of a population’s oral health problems, establishing the causes and effects of those problems, and planning effective interventions. The practice of dental public health is to create and use opportunities to implement effective solutions to population oral health and health care problems (Chappel et al. 1996). Dental public health is concerned with promoting the health of the population and therefore focuses action at a community level. This is in contrast to clinical practice which operates at an individual level. However, the different stages of clinical and public health practice are broadly similar. Dental public health is a broad subject that seeks to expand the focus and understanding of the dental profession on the range of factors that influence oral health and the most effective means of preventing and treating oral health problems. Dental public health is underpinned by a range of related disciplines and sciences that collectively enrich the value and relevance of the subject (Box 1.1) The practice of dentistry is undergoing a period of rapid change due to a wide range of factors in society ( Box 1.2 ).

In this chapter we will look briefly at the prevention needs of people with disabilities and people who are vulnerable and require special care dental services for reasons that may be social. Within this group there will be a spectrum of people with needs and dependencies. Not everyone described as belonging to a vulnerable group in this chapter would identify themselves as disabled; nevertheless, what they have in common are a range of factors that put their oral health at risk, make accessing dental care complicated, or make the provision of dental care complicated. These factors may include a ‘physical, sensory, intellectual, mental, medical, emotional or social impairment or disability, or more often a combination of these factors’ (GDC 2012). People with disabilities have fewer teeth, more untreated disease, and more periodontal disease when compared to the general population in the UK (Department of Health 2007). Good oral health can contribute to better communication, nutrition, self-esteem, and reduction in pain and discomfort, while poor oral health can lead to pain, discomfort, communication difficulties, nutritional problems, and social exclusion (Department of Health 2007). As discussed in previous chapters, the important risk factors for oral diseases include: high-sugar diets, poor oral hygiene, smoking, and alcohol misuse. They are also shared risk factors for chronic non-communicable diseases such as respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancers. The basic principles and approaches for the prevention of oral diseases in disabled people and vulnerable groups are similar to those described in previous chapters; however, there is a need to recognize that the context, the circumstances, the settings, and the opportunities for prevention will be slightly different, depending on the groups. For example, some disabled people (e.g. people with learning disabilities) may be reliant on others, such as family, carers, health care workers, to support basic self-care and to access health services. Other vulnerable groups such as homeless people live independent lives but lack access to basic facilities such as drinking water, and a place to store toothbrushes and toothpaste.

Oral diseases are often called a neglected or silent epidemic. They are largely due to social injustice in which private wealth overrides the public’s health. Although oral diseases affect almost everyone, prevention of them and access to dental services have not been high priorities in the United States. This chapter, after defining oral health, describes the neglected epidemic of oral diseases and then discusses the roles that the food and tobacco industries play in contributing to oral disease and poor oral health. Although organized dentistry has done much to improve oral health, it also has limited access to dental care for millions of Americans. The chapter discusses health literacy and social inequality, national issues concerning oral health, state and local issues, school programs, the dental public health infrastructure, and the dental workforce. It discusses what needs to be done. A text box addresses oral health in low- and middle-income countries.