Korean Community Observation Report

Oral health has a direct impact on the general health, hence, it is important that all Canadians have adequate access to dental care services. Over the years successive Governments have reduced financial support to programs delivering dental care to most vulnerable populations. As a result, many low income families and other vulnerable groups have been unable to access dental care. There is further escalation in the disparities in oral health care among Canadians, as the number of Canadians losing dental care benefits continues to increase. Also, higher oral health care costs can be expected in the near future due to shortage of health care professionals.

In Dr. Parson’s presentation, I learned that there are still many seniors with out dental insurance. This is sad because the population by 2030 is going to double and more will eventually need treatment done by a dentist. According to her presentation oral care is not a concern to the nursing home staff. Some families show up to brush their family members teeth. With the limited financial resources for dental care these patients have it is one of their barriers to getting treatment done if needed or even cleaning. Therefore, we as dental hygienist can help make a difference by going out to the community and offering dental care education to the nursing staff because they must first know how to take care of their oral health before taking care

As society continues to age, one fourth of the world will be 65 years or older, thanks to the influx of baby boomers. Due to this rapid growth in longevity, this will multiply the problem of access to care. Attention towards systemic conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and strokes are being discussed by government agencies and health care professionals. (Overview of oral health, 2017). There is evidence linking oral health to systemic health, therefore, a need for a more collaborative approach towards prevention is critical to achieve overall health for the public (Jin, 2016).

To begin, dentistry plays an integral role in the daily lives of countless individuals. Dentistry as defined by the International Council of Nurses is, "The profession of practice of providing care for the sick and inform in regards to oral hygiene." Populations around the world, and in particular Japan, are aging quite rapidly. Baby Boomers, individuals born between 1946 and 1964 are reaching retirement age as they too become older. As this demographic age becomes older, they will typically become more prone to sickness or other forms of detrimental illnesses. As such, the importance of dentistry in the coming years will be even more profound. As such, interviewing an individual within the health care industry provided valuable insights as to the overall profession, and the implications it has on society.

While most of the patients I interacted with were seeking non-dental care, I met patients who were seeking care to health conditions that stem from their oral health such as oral abscesses, which our team was unable to treat except for prescribing antibiotics or painkillers. I encountered similar situations when I shadowed physicians in the emergency room of hospitals, observing a variety of craniofacial disorders originating from a preventable tooth decay. From these observations, I learned that patients often did not receive treatment that addressed the root of their problems: their oral health. As the result, I learned that many physicians saw the same patient repeatedly for problems that would otherwise be easily prevented through proper preventive dental care. Determining to address the unmet needs for accessible preventive dental care, I decided to pursue a career in dentistry so that I can provide a positive and meaningful impact to the underserved community on their oral health and ultimately their overall

Research studies have indicated that the elderly Hispanic-American population residing along the Texas-Mexico border has minimal access to healthcare as well as inadequate use of preventive and screening services. The elderly population in El Paso, Texas is speculated to increase by 21.8% between 2014 to 2019 for the age group between 70 to 74 and 11.7% for the age group between 75 to 79. Unfortunately, many oral healthcare professionals are avoiding geriatric certification as a result of the low fees associated with Medicare and Medicaid and the bothersome paperwork that is often affiliated with the elderly, low-income, and minority patient. Based upon the Healthy People 2020 objectives for issues that are applicable to older adults; the objective to be addressed within this review report is the objective of increasing the proportion of dentists with geriatric certification. The specific research question to be addressed is “What are various factors that might be inhibiting dentists from attaining their geriatric certification and what are some strategies to overcome these obstacles and further facilitate this objective?” While the main priority should be to advocate for further health promotion of oral care in the elderly population and increasing the numbers of elderly adults that are able to understand the health benefits of oral care; various factors among the dentistry profession and elderly population must also be addressed. These factors might include ethnic

Although there have been oral health care models, as well as, best practice concepts for oral health, there is still a host of barriers that prevent this problem from being minimalized. Factors including negative behaviors from both the staff and residents, dexterity, mobility, as well as a lack of dental supplies, often leave the residents or the health care personnel frustrated. Some of the factors that prevent dentists from caring for these residents is a lack of mobile equipment, lack of space, time away from their private practice, and low reimbursement rates (Dirks, 2016). The director of nursing, along with the administrator, must collaborate with dental personnel to change the culture and instill a higher value on oral health. On-site training and education must be included in oral care, along with infection control regulations. Most residents are not able to coordinate their own care and often rely on personnel at the facility for assistance. There needs to be a collaboration between dental personnel, facility staff, and the residents, to cultivate oral care as an integral part of health and wellness for each resident (Chaves,

The accessibility of dental care in relation to race, ethnicity, income level, and overall socioeconomic status is evaluated. Across the board, a huge lack of dental care is seen in individuals of low-income levels and minority groups. In addition, the most susceptible groups to dental disease are identified as children, low-income adults, and the elderly. Ways to improve the oral health status of these groups are recognized. The various needs of underserved communities with respect to the access of dental care are assessed, despite a lack of sufficient dental insurance coverage of individuals who are members of these communities. This includes the improvement of both preventative and restorative care via public health programs, such as

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

4. Develop a written dental hygiene care plan that establishes a framework within which to identify goals for obtaining oral health. In addition to the clinical assessment, your plan should take into account the patient’s age, gender, lifestyle, culture, attitudes, health beliefs, and knowledge level. Your instructor may provide guidelines, or you may use the suggested list of possible unmet needs, called deficits, found in the Human Needs Conceptual Model to Dental Hygiene Practice (see Chapter 1). Identification of deficits will guide you in generating a treatment plan that gives the patient an active role in assisting with improving and maintaining health. Use this

The websites I used for my research were Center for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization. The World Health Organization defines Oral Health as “a state of being free from chronic mouth and facial pain, oral and throat cancer, oral sores, birth defects such as cleft lip and palate, periodontal (gum) disease, tooth decay and tooth loss, and other diseases and disorders that affect the oral cavity” (2015). It is necessary to brush our teeth twice a day for two minutes and floss daily. Since tooth decay has been one of the most common chronic disease among children in the United States, I found it very important to educate them that this is a preventable disease and what ways it can be

While the private sector provides excellent quality of oral health care for its patients, many vulnerable groups have difficulty with access.2 It is also these vulnerable groups who demonstrate extremely high levels of oral health disease. According to a 2014 report issued by the Canadian Academy of Health Services (CAHS), the following represent Canada’s most vulnerable groups: individuals with low incomes; younger age children living in low-income families; individuals working without dental insurance; elderly populations with low incomes and/or living in institutions; aboriginal people, immigrants/refugees; people with disabilities; and, populations living in rural/remote communities.2 The CAHS authors report that increasingly and in light of challenging economic times, families from lower-middle income strata are also demonstrating difficulty with accessing oral health care (this is partially attributable to an increasing tendency toward part-time employment rather than full-time employment with benefits).

RIDOH Oral Health Internship- During the first semester of my 2017-2018 school year, I was able to work as an intern for the RIDOH’s Oral Health department. During my time there, I was able to learn about the oral health world outside the dental office, which was an experience I had never had in the past. I was involved in a wide variety of projects including oral health research for the purpose of improving current programs, creating new programs, and helping to identify areas where people are not taking advantage of their health policies. However, the project that I am most passionate about is an oral health survey that I was tasked to create, which will gather current information about the overall oral health in college students.

“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,

Socioeconomic status (SES) is the strongest determinant of health outcomes (Marmot & Bell, 2011). Parents and children of lower socioeconomic status are at higher risk of negative oral health outcomes and poor oral health-related quality of life (Jones, Shi, Hayashi, Sharma, Daly, & Ngo-Metzger, 2013 and Wells, Caplan, Strauss, Bell & George, 2010). Women with lower socioeconomic status are 30% less likely to utilize dental services. Likewise, they are 30% more likely to report unmet dental needs than women in higher socioeconomic gradients (Kaylor, Polivka, Chaudry, Salsberry, & Wee, 2010).