Populations residing in rural America have lower rates of dental care utilization, higher rates of dental caries, less water fluoridation, and fewer dentists per capita when compared to those living in urban environments. Dental workforce shortages in rural communities are endemic, despite the research on best practices for enhancing the rural workforce. This report examines…
Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF) is a topical medicament that can be used to treat dental caries across the age spectrum. Research supports the use of SDF in pediatric dentistry and in the elderly population as a simple, inexpensive, and effective way of preventing dental caries initiation and progression. State dental boards and regulators have recognized…
Dental therapists (DTs) are primary dental care practitioners that have been deployed in many countries around the world. There is increasingly strong evidence supporting the safety and effectiveness of DTs, including their ability to promote community-based services and enhance oral health equity. Following the approval of education standards by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA)…
Between 2010 and 2016, the proportion of women working in dentistry increased from 24.5% to 29.8%. Overall, female dentists were more racially/ethnically diverse, more likely to be foreign-trained, and more likely to work in pediatric dentistry than male dentists. Gender diversification in dentistry and other factors, including generational differences and changes in public policy, continue…
Due to the dangers of the opioid crisis, it is more important than ever that health providers are adequately educated about best practices for pain management, such as appropriate prescribing habits and screening for substance use disorders. While previous studies have addressed the educational curriculum about pain management in medical schools, the literature on similar…
The Oral Health Workforce Research Center (OHWRC) completed a study to evaluate the attitudes and willingness of general and specialty dentists to treat people with special needs and to identify the barriers to greater participation by dentists in the care of these patients. The research project was a collaboration with the Health Policy Institute at…
Despite efforts to improve access to oral health services in the US, oral health disparities persist for many vulnerable population groups, including children. Children are especially vulnerable to not receiving health or oral health services because they are dependent on others to arrange appointments and provide transportation to services. Researchers at the OHWRC collaborated with…
Oral health providers across the country that work in the safety net have used a variety of innovative strategies to expand access to oral health services in community-based settings, including federally qualified health centers, schools and nursing homes, among others. This compendium summarizes best practices in innovative oral health service delivery programs drawn from over…
The scope of practice for dental hygienists has rapidly expanded and evolved over the past decade. These changes have brought about new career growth opportunities for providers and have improved access to care for patients. This article explores some of the most important changes in scope of practice for dental hygienists and how these changes…
The Health Resources and Service Administration’s (HRSA) mission is “To improve health outcomes and address health disparities through access to quality services, a skilled health workforce, and innovative, high-value programs.” To support this mission, HRSA supports primary care postgraduate dental (PGD) training programs through competitive grant funding. A recent research study conducted by the Oral…
