Abstract
Oral health disparities are pervasive. Interprofessional education and collaborative practice experiences may be a means to address this problem in oral healthcare settings. This project aimed to determine: (1) barriers involved in patients’ access to oral health care at an academic dental school clinic, (2) dental students’ perceived ability to address patients’ needs and/or care barriers, (3) the ability of current clinical operations’ to address access to care issues, and (4) the potential role of a licensed health care social worker integrated into the clinic. Investigators conducted three focus groups –one student group (n=5), one clinical staff group (n=7), and one clinical faculty group (n=5). Further, investigators administered two needs assessment surveys in the dental school – one with students, staff, and faculty (n=144) and the second with the school’s dental patients (n=150). Investigators employed descriptive and inferential statistical analyses to evaluate the survey data. Five principal barriers to oral health care for dental patients were identified from focus group and survey data, inclusive of patients, students, staff and faculty perspectives: (1) lack of financial means, (2) lack of/inadequate insurance, (3) limited/no transportation, (4) general health problems, and (5) language barriers. More female patients (38.7%) than male patients (8.1%) reported financial barriers to accessing oral care. Including licensed social workers in an academic dental clinic may help address patient barriers to care and support interprofessional collaborative practice.
Highlights
The Surgeon General released a report in 2000 on the state of Oral Health Care in America that outlined the existing disparities in accessing oral health care for vulnerable populations (Department of Health and Human Services [DHHS], 2000)
In response to the Surgeon General’s initial report, the American Dental Education Association (ADEA, 2017) published a paper urging academic dental institutions to work towards improving the state of oral health in the US by focusing on existing barriers and by working to implement newer models for delivery of oral health care
The majority of respondents for both the students, faculty, and staff (80.6%) and patient (71.3%) surveys identified as White, with nearly 12% of patients identifying as African-American
Summary
The Surgeon General released a report in 2000 on the state of Oral Health Care in America that outlined the existing disparities in accessing oral health care for vulnerable populations (Department of Health and Human Services [DHHS], 2000) Those who are racial and ethnic minorities, children, low income, older Americans, and those living with disabilities or chronic health issues have worse oral health (DHHS, 2000). Collaboration with other health care professionals, such as social workers, can help oral health providers work towards solutions This commitment was reinforced through ADEA’s support of dental education programs working within an integrated health system to care for patients with special needs (i.e., individuals with developmental or other disabilities, children, older adults; ADEA, 2018)
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