Concerns about limited access to oral health services for underserved populations are prompting providers to adopt innovative service delivery models to meet the needs of those with access barriers. The use of teledentistry as a means to improve access to oral health services in areas with inadequate availability of general and specialty dental care is…
There is greater general recognition of the linkages between physical disease and oral pathology. This has resulted in calls for medical professionals to incorporate oral health assessment, counseling, and early intervention into their routine clinical activities. However, actualization of the integration of oral health services in medical practice is difficult, due to the siloed structure…
Demand for dental residency and dental student externship opportunities has grown in recent years, driven by the economy for dental employment and the desire of students for increased market competitiveness. In addition to specialty residencies, some states now also require that general dentists complete a year of advanced education in general dentistry before licensure. The…
Many nursing homes have adopted health information technology (HIT) to help improve quality of care and staff productivity. However, it has been unclear as to whether HIT systems have had the intended effect on staff productivity and patient outcomes. This report describes a study utilizing a literature review as well as interviews and focus groups…
In the United States, blacks experience large disparities in both access to dental and oral health status. In addition, Black dentists are underrepresented within the overall dental workforce, and care for a disproportionate share of black patients. This article describes the black dentist workforce, the practice patterns of providers, and their contributions to dental health…
As the aging population and the demand for long-term care services increases, more information will be needed about what factors contribute to stress, burnout, and retention of long-term care (LTC) workers. This report describes a study that utilized data from the American Time Use Survey from 2003-2014 to compare how LTC workers and other health…
Improving the racial and ethnic diversity of the nation’s dentists is critical in efforts to reduce disparities in access to care and health outcomes and to better address the oral health needs of an increasingly diverse US population. The American Indian/ Alaska Native (AI/AN) dentist workforce, in particular, is disproportionately small compared to the overall…
The use of the minimally trained, low wage clinical non-licensed personnel (CNLP), who perform clinical tasks under the supervision of registered nurses (RNs) or other licensed clinical providers, has been a primary strategy for hospitals both to manage professional shortages and reduce costs. This article examines the nurse-related clinical non-licensed personnel (CNLP) staffing in US…
Remote monitoring programs are often used to care for patients with chronic conditions and other long-term care needs as such technologies have the potential to reduce costs and improve the accountability of care delivery for these patients. This report describes a study which used a literature review and key informant interviews to examine what factors…
The United States (US) draws a large number of immigrants in search of better economic opportunities. As skilled professionals move from less to more developed countries, this “brain drain” may put the migrants’ home countries at risk by depleting human resources for public health and healthcare. The World Health Organization calls on member nations to…