A project that is seeking to help people that have a lack of access to oral health treatment involves health appointments focusing on both physical and oral health. This is very positive, and can help some of society’s most vulnerable people. The project is taking place in multiple states across the US.
Earlier in April, Pediatrician Patricia Braun and her team saw almost 100 children at a community health clinic – with the aim of helping the children and those without insurance with their health [1].
The main intention was to give flu shots and treatments for minor illnesses. However, Braun went one step further – as she looked at the oral health of her patients [1].
This forms part of a larger trend across the United States of trying to integrate oral health into medical check-ups. This is unsurprising – owing to the importance of oral health.
The project
Braun and her team have launched the project. They have received federal and private funding to aid their project, which is reaching many people.
Braun treats patients at the Bernard F. Gipson Eastside Family Health Center. This center is part of Denver Health, which serves low-income and uninsured families [1].
Many residents of Colorado face problems in receiving dental care, making this an ideal location to prioritize. For example, housing instability, a lack of transportation and a high cost of dental care are all barriers to receiving dental treatment [1].
Braun and her team have helped to train 250 primary care providers across numerous states – including Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, and Arizona. Moreover, similar projects are ongoing in Illinois, Michigan, Virginia, and New York [1].
In other states, there are efforts to integrate dental care into prenatal visits for pregnant women [1]. This has the added benefit of helping pregnant women, who are at heightened risk of oral health problems.
These providers include doctors, nurses and physician assistants. The team are able to assess the oral health of patients, provide education, and complete referrals for those that need further care [1]. Minor treatments like the application of fluoride varnishes are also offered.
Those behind the project also work alongside the STRIDE Community Health Center in Denver [1]. STRIDE aim to overcome the barriers facing those who struggle to access dental care.
STRIDE offer a service which involves an exam, X-rays and cleaning – all for $60 – for the uninsured [1]. The service has recently seen a large rise in the number of patients seeking help – including migrants and refugees who need extensive dental treatment [1].
Why is this project needed?
A project like this does a lot of good. While work is needed on physical health, having the benefit of looking after oral health also helps.
Braun says that for this target group, “we’re seeing more oral disease than the general population”, and that “there is a bigger need” among these people [1].
Many of those being provided with care are children. This is very important, as many children lack access to dental care [1]. By making children and their parents aware of the importance of oral health, it can aid their overall health.
The state of Montana has often been cited as an example of why a project like this can help. The state has proven to be a difficult area to target [1].
Montana’s large geographic area, coupled with their small population – makes it difficult to recruit dental professionals [1].
In fact, 50 out of 56 counties in the state are considered to have a shortage of dentists. Furthermore, some of the counties do not have a single dentist that takes Medicaid [1].
Therefore, having dental staff partaking in a project like this can help significantly. This isn’t just in Montana, but the wider United States.
Summary
It is positive to see numerous projects ongoing. There are many people across the United States who desperately need oral health treatment.
Moreover, projects like these help some of the most vulnerable people in society – including those who have typically struggled to access oral care.
Braun and her team will continue to try and integrate physical and oral health treatment together. Given their link, this makes a lot of sense, and can help many people.
Thinking points…
1) As discussed above, it is very important that children have strong oral health. By getting into good habits, this can boost their long-term oral health. If you have children, we recommend that you take them to a dental check-up regularly. You could even go at the same time as them! We recommend booking an appointment for you both now!
2) A feature throughout this article is that the cost of dental care can be prohibitive for some people. Therefore, it is useful to know that here at our Calgary-based dental clinic Savanna Dental, our fees are set in line with the Alberta Dental Fee Guide. This means that our prices are trustworthy and transparent. We would love to see you soon! You can find out more about us at our website – https://savannadentalclinic.ca.
What we offer at Savanna Dental
Savanna Dental is a dental clinic based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. We provide our patients with a range of treatment options and advice, with the aim of improving oral health and boosting overall wellbeing!
We advise our patients to attend our Calgary-based dental clinic twice a year for a dental check-up. If any problems are detected, we have many treatments available. For instance, these include cavity fillings and root canals. To try and prevent problems, it is important to brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss regularly.
Here at Savanna Dental, we also have some cosmetic treatments available! These include dental implants, tooth whitening and Invisalign[TM]! Our patients find that these treatments have a positive impact on their appearance, confidence and self-esteem.
In addition, the fees of our services at our Calgary dental clinic Savanna Dental are set in line with the Alberta Dental Fee Guide.
We would love you to visit our Savanna Dental clinic in Calgary! You can find out more about us by visiting our website https://savannadentalclinic.ca/!
References
[1] Ruder, K. (2024). Doctors take on dental duties to reach low-income and uninsured patients. Available: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-04-doctors-dental-duties-income-uninsured.html. Last accessed: 20th April 2024.
