Dental Public Health
- Dental public health is a para-clinical specialty of dentistry that focuses on the prevention of oral disease and promotion of oral health.
- It assesses dental health needs and develops effective solutions for populations, aiming to reduce demand on healthcare systems.
- Implementation of policies and principles varies based on available resources.
- Major areas of activity include oral health surveillance, policy development, and monitoring quality dental services.
- Dental public health integrates social determinants of health into practice.
Dental Caries and Gum Diseases
- Dental caries, or tooth decay, is the most common diet-related disease.
- Risk factors for tooth decay include bacteria, inadequate fluoride exposure, and poor oral hygiene.
- Cavities are most common inside pits and fissures on chewing surfaces.
- Gum diseases gingivitis and periodontitis are caused by bacteria in dental plaque.
Approaches to Prevention
- Water fluoridation halts the progression of dental diseases by interfering with the demineralization and remineralization process on tooth surfaces.
- Clinical trials have shown the positive effects of fluoride on dental tissues.
- Artificial water fluoridation began in the 20th century, and currently, 40 countries have implemented water fluoridation schemes.
Approaches to Promotion and Determinants of Oral Health
- Oral health promotion strategies aim to improve and educate the general public about maintaining oral health.
- Key principles of oral health promotion include empowerment, participatory approach, holistic approach, inter-sectoral collaboration, equity, evidence-based interventions, sustainability, multi-strategy approach, and evaluation.
- Determinants of oral health include individual behavior, socioeconomic status, environmental factors, and sociopolitical considerations.
- Promoting healthy eating, effective oral hygiene practices, topical fluoride use, and early access to preventative dental services can minimize the effects of these determinants.
- Community participation and inter-sectoral collaboration are essential for oral health promotion.
Dental Public Health Programs and Initiatives
- Examples of dental public health programs and initiatives include the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS), National Partnership Agreement on Adult Public Dental Services, Oral Health Program in the Autonomous Region of Madeira - Portugal, National Health Service (NHS) dentistry in the United Kingdom, and dental outreach programs in Nepal.
- These programs aim to provide dental services to specific populations, improve oral health outcomes, and reduce oral health disparities.
- Collaboration between dental professionals, healthcare providers, policymakers, and community organizations is essential for successful dental public health initiatives.
Dental Public Health (DPH) is a para-clinical specialty of dentistry that deals with the prevention of oral disease and promotion of oral health. Dental public health is involved in the assessment of key dental health needs and coming up with effective solutions to improve the dental health of populations rather than individuals.
Dental public health seeks to reduce demand on health care systems by redirection of resources to priority areas. Countries around the world all face similar issues in relation to dental disease. Implementation of policies and principles varies due to availability of resources. Similar to public health, an understanding of the many factors that influence health will assist the implementation of effective strategies.
Dental-related diseases are largely preventable. Public health dentistry is practiced generally through government-sponsored programs, directed for the most part to public-school children in the belief that their education in oral hygiene is the best way to reach the general public. The pattern for such programs in the past was a dental practitioner's annual visit to a school to lecture and to demonstrate proper tooth-brushing techniques.
In the 1970s a more elaborate program emerged. It included a week of one-hour sessions of instruction, demonstration, and questions and answers, conducted by a dentist and a dental assistant and aided by a teacher who had previously been given several hours of instruction. Use was also made of televised dental health education programs, which parents were encouraged to observe.
