Essay On Underserved Community

three subjects that are going to be discussed are sex slaves, health disparities in LGBT

In the course of my time volunteering at the UCSD Student-Run Free Dental Clinics, I came to understand how poverty, language barriers, and a lack of knowledge about the importance of dental care can lead to readily preventable and treatable dental problems. These dental problems can lead to a cascade of issues, preventing an individual’s progress. As a clinic volunteer inside the school’s dental clinic, I noticed young students, with poor dental care, have constant pain that affected their studies and attitude. I recall a Hispanic young boy telling me he was sharing a toothbrush with his family. I hand over multiple toothbrushes and, using Spanish cards, educate him on oral hygiene. With each treatment visit, he was eager to tell the dentist

Oral health care is an integral part of the US healthcare system. In 2012, Sen. Bernie Sanders introduced “The Comprehensive Dental Reform Act”, which aimed on expanding dental coverage, accessible oral health care centers, increase in dental workforce, enhanced dental education and encourage dental research. (Congress.gov). The ACA, aim to curb the national health spending, by facilitating the affordability to quality care through private and public health insurance. The purpose of this bill is to cut the healthcare costs and to reverse the “silent epidemic” of dental health status (surgeon gen). This dental bill with an integrated approach towards the preventive and comprehensive oral healthcare is estimated to provide coverage to almost 17.7 million adults. (ADA

It appears to backs this notion by the lack of unified healthcare, fewer fee based dental clinics versus health clinics, lack of supportive legislation and fewer people with dental coverage versus healthcare coverage (Fingar, et al., 2015). Much to my dismay, dental care is a major health disparity. Three quarters of my career has been spent in the emergency department (ED). During these years, we continue to see patients with dental issues. Admittedly, their main reason for seeking care from the ED is that they lack dental insurance. Under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), these patients cannot be turned away from the ED due to their lack of ability to pay. Daily we treat patients with mouth pain related to dental caries, mouth abscesses and fractured teeth. Patients have told me that they are saving to have the tooth pull which can cost at least $100. I have had several crowns placed in my mouth and I can attest that this procedure costs approximately $500 with decent insurance and triple this amount without insurance. The general reason for my concern, is that, dental infections can lead to other serious health problems such has respiratory infections, heart value disease or brain abscesses (Li, Kolltveit, Tronstad, & Olsen, 2000). I witnessed my 32 year old female patient die after surgery for removal of an infected brain abscess. The day prior, she confessed that it was related to dental

“The impact of unmet oral health care needs is magnified by the well-established connection between oral health and overall health” (Fineberg, H. 2011, p. ix). Oral health status is linked with general health, as evidenced by the association between poor oral health and chronic diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory disease. Poor oral hygiene can also lead to other health issues such as, oral facial pain and digestive problems. “The silent epidemic of oral diseases disproportionately affects disadvantaged communities,

A Report of the Surgeon General stated that minority and low-income children in the United States experience poorer oral health and poorer access to dental health care services than do their majority and higher-income peers (Oral Health in America, 2000). Two major factors that determine access to dental care are the limited supply of both dentists and public financing for underserved populations (Mertz, 2002). ). Dental disease like tooth decay not only affects children’s overall health; it has other ramifications, including children’s hours lost from school, deteriorating school performance and behavior, and in extreme cases, serious disability and even death.

For starters, many people who do not have dental care seek treatment from their family doctor or a hospital. This is a waste of the doctor’s time because they are not trained in dentistry. It is also a misuse of resources because the most a doctor can do is provide temporary pain relief medication. Moreover, this increases the wait times for those who are in need of treatment. There would be no need for this if preventative dental care was provided. In Ontario, the health care system spent $7.5 million dollars on physician visits due to oral issues. This takes a valuable amount of money from public

Disparities in pediatric oral health care have been a growing issue world wide, but more importantly in the state of North Carolina. In order to improve oral health in children in lower income areas, there is a need to lower the cost of dental care, educate parents on preventative care, and build more clinics in local areas. There are many factors that contribute to the improvement of pediatric oral health, with a plethora of committed dentists and a local community determined to improve the overall health of the most vulnerable citizens in our society. As a community we have collectively designed effective solutions to address this established health disparity, which ultimately affects the oral health of every child in Orange County, NC.

Coming from a low-income and primarily minority-based community, I have come to realize how quite often such health services, such as dental care, are not economically feasible for members of the community. My main reason for feeling this way is the mere fact that my parents are unable to receive quality dental care due to their immigrant status. As it currently is people of statuses similar to these, generally all similar in that they are low income, are only eligible to receive the most basic of health coverage. This translates into situations where entire families are only receiving the most basic of coverage. This is the main reason as to why I am motivated and dedicated to pursuing a profession in dentistry. I can be a leading and innovative force in making the necessary changes to rectify the current quality disparity between the services that is offered to higher income communities in comparison to lower income communities.

Increasing access to health care has been a focus of concern for health policy for United States for many years. But tragically, oral care has failed to gather the focus that it requires. Often oral care is neglected as a result, a large population have a limited access to oral care especially children of lower income group.

The 2000 Oral Health in America: A report of the Surgeon General (SGROH) has highlighted disparities that persist in oral health status, access to care, and unmet need for dental care.1 The National Call to Action to Promote Oral Health has goals to promote oral health, improve quality of life, and eliminate oral health disparities in poor people, people who are geographically isolated, racial and ethnic groups, and others that are vulnerable to special healthcare needs.2 The Call to Action has addressed issues such as changing the perception of oral health, overcoming barriers, increasing oral health work force, and increasing collaborations to help us overcome our oral healthcare issues.2 The Surgeon General Report has enlightened the nation on the fact that the United States public infrastructure for oral healthcare services is ill equipped to meet the growing needs of all Americans.3 The 2000 Oral Health in America: A Report of the Surgeon General (SGROH) commented about “concerns about a declining dentist-to-population ration, an inequitable distribution of oral healthcare providers, the effects of the cost of dental education and graduation debt on decisions to pursue a career in dentistry, the type and location of practice upon graduation, current and expected shortages in personnel for dental school faculties and oral health research, and an

The field of dental hygiene has great potential to be a real service to people in the community. Unfortunately, the status of oral hygiene in America is currently lacking. As of 2014, the percentage of people ages 18-64 that went to the dentist in the past year was only 62.0%, and adults ages 20-44 with untreated dental caries was at 27.4% (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016). These statistics are also presently on the rise. There is a plethora of contributing factors as to why oral hygiene is suffering in this day and age. A few explanations can be pinpointed to the restrictions (especially in Indiana) on dental hygienists, the public’s lack of knowledge, and certain dental programs that should

As Americans are increasing their life expectancy, and more baby boomers are aging with their natural dentition, it is vital that policy makers and the public stop viewing oral health as a separate entity from health care and recognize that dental disease is preventable. Studies conclude that it is imperative to incorporate oral health into total health, therefore, improved oral health literacy, along with prevention, should be mandated (Jin, et al, 2016). Best practice guides regarding dental care need to be considered, especially in nursing facilities, as the culture explores a shift (Hearn, 2015). As to date, there is very little regulation of the oral health for residents in long-term care as the facility is only

A close friend of mine recently stunned me by confiding that she spent her freshman and sophomore years homeless, forcing her to frequently miss school. She expressed her concern repeatedly that she may not graduate on time. In a world in which we celebrate prosperity, I struggle with the striking disparities between extreme wealth and poverty, the likes of which prevented my friend from even attending school. I concluded, however, that merely recognizing apparent inequalities would not bring me any closer toward a resolution.

To become a healthcare leader in a dental setting within next ten years to improve the awareness, accessibility, affordability and quality of dental health services for the geriatric population, because the geriatric population is increasing rapidly and is expected to rise to one-third of US population by 2030. The elderly population in California is growing as twice as total population growth rate in the United States. Dental care services are un-accessible and unaffordable to a majority geriatric population especially institutionalized elderly (nursing home residents and long-term care residents) either because of unawareness or their low socioeconomic status or high cost of dental care. Medicare provides almost no dental coverage and Medicaid provides dental coverage limited only to basic oral health issues like extraction, carries, and scaling but, elderly oral health problems are more complicated than basic oral health issues. Private dental insurance does provide dental coverage but includes a huge out of pocket contribution for most of the dental services. Improving oral health among the geriatric population has become a challenge and there is a great need to establish multi-tier progressive interventions to overcome this challenge. I would accomplish my mission by