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Dental Administration
The importance of public health dentistry
In the current debate over healthcare, the importance of dental health is often forgotten. However, untreated dental complaints can have a severe impact upon a patient's overall health status. What is tragic about dental health issues is that most can be prevented with proper preventative care. There is a seismic gap between what the profession knows about good health practices and the care it is able to provide, versus the care underserved members of the population are receiving. A 2000 report by the Surgeon General's stated that "while the majority of Americans have adopted safe and effective means of maintaining oral health over the past half century, many experience needless pain and suffering, affecting their overall health and well-being, and exacting financial and social costs that significantly diminish the quality of life" (Why choose a career in public health dentistry, 2011, AAPHD).
As well as impacting overall health, poor oral health can lead to a lack of self-esteem because...
Pain can cause a loss of paid work and school days. 22.24% of 6- to 11-year-olds have untreated primary tooth decay, setting up these children for long-term poor oral health (Why choose a career in public health dentistry, 2011, AAPHD). The incidence of cavities is found in a very specific segment of the population. "For those aged 2 -- 5 years, 75% of dental caries (primary dention) was found in 8.1% of the population. For those aged 6 years or older, 75% of dental caries (permanent dentition) was found in 33.0% of the population" (Macek 2004: 20), Over 22% of adults have untreated tooth decay and 25% of all adults over age sixty-five all of their teeth (Why choose a career in public health dentistry, 2011, AAPHD). These statistics can and must change, with adjustments in public health policies. Other diseases, such as cancers, can present themselves with oral symptoms which can be detected with routine screening as well.
Public health dentists seek to better-inform the public about…
References
Macek, Mark D., Keith E. Heller, Robert H. Selwltz, Michael C. Manz. (2004). Is 75% of Dental Caries Really Found in 25% of the Population? Journal of Public Health
Dentistry. 6(1): 20-25.
Why choose a career in public health dentistry. (2011). American Association of Public Health
Dentists. Retrieved July 12, 2011 at http://www.aaphd.org/docs/whydentalpublichealth2.pdf
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