Incorporating the consumer perspective on access to oral health services is important in the design of public policy and programming to improve the oral health status of the population. The Oral Health Workforce Research Center (OHWRC) collaborated with the Workforce Studies team at the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) to conduct a survey of…
There is growing recognition of the relationship between mental illness and behavioral health disorders with oral and physical health status. Safety net provider organizations are key to providing integrated care for many of their patients with mental health or substance use disorders. The Oral Health Workforce Research Center conducted 6 case studies of Federally Qualified…
Reforms to address the oral health care needs of vulnerable populations in long-term care (LTC) settings should start with defining a clearer standard of oral care required for this population. This will allow best practices in policy, practice, and accountability to be structured around care that improves patients’ oral health. This article identifies and classifies…
This report summarizes trends in the direct provision of oral health services by federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) over recent years and factors that predict the likelihood of an FQHC providing direct general and/or specialty oral health services. The analyses use both current and historical data to describe existing oral health service capacity in FQHCs…
Dental hygiene scope of practice regulation significantly impacts oral health outcomes in state populations. A numerical scope of practice scale for dental hygienists, called the Dental Hygiene Professional Practice Index (DHPPI), scored numerous variables relevant to dental hygiene practice, including the regulatory environment, tasks permitted, levels of required supervision by setting, and reimbursement for services….
Legal scope of practice (SOP) for dental hygienists differs by state. Research suggests that broader SOP laws at the state level can improve oral health outcomes. This infographic illustrates allowable tasks for dental hygienists by each state in the US, to help planners and policymakers understand the differences in legal scope of practice across states,…
The volume and variety of mobile and portable oral health programs in the United States has increased in recent years. Increasingly capable portable imaging technologies and treatment modalities have evolved to enable oral health professionals to provide a range of oral health services in public facilities and other community settings with portable equipment or in…
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. Half of all Hispanic/Latino (H/L) dentists in the US are foreign born, and about 1 in 4…
Dental services in the US have been traditionally provided in private dental practices operating as small businesses. Organizational structures for oral health service delivery and for managing business functions are changing, resulting in a variety of options for patients selecting providers. Perhaps the most noticeable change in the dental practice paradigm is the consolidation of…
Untreated dental disease remains one of the most prevalent health conditions for children, driven in part by disparities in access to care. This article examines evidence-based workforce strategies being used to facilitate better access to pediatric health services and to improve oral health status and outcomes for children. The workforce strategies described in this article…
