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Oral Health Care Delivery System (oral + health_care_delivery_system)
Selected AbstractsImproving oral healthcare delivery systems through workforce innovations: an introductionJOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH DENTISTRY, Issue 2010Elizabeth A. Mertz PhD Abstract The objective of this paper is to describe the purpose, rationale and key elements of the special issue, Improving Oral Healthcare Delivery Systems through Workforce Innovations. The purpose of the special issue is to further develop ideas presented at the 2009 Institute of Medicine (IOM) workshop, Sufficiency of the U.S. Oral Health Workforce in the Coming Decade. Using the IOM discussions as their starting point, the authors evaluate oral health care delivery system performance for specific populations' needs and explore the roles that the workforce can play in improving the care delivery model. The contributing articles provide a broad framework for stimulating and evaluating innovation and change in the oral health care delivery system. The articles in this special issue point to many deficits in the current oral health care delivery system and provide compelling arguments and proposals for improvements. The issues presented and solutions recommended are not entirely new, but add to a growing body of work that is of critical importance given the context of wider health care reform. [source] Attributes of an ideal oral health care systemJOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH DENTISTRY, Issue 2010DrPH, Scott L. Tomar DMD Abstract Objectives: The sense of urgency concerning the inadequacies of the current U.S. oral health care system in better preventing oral diseases, eliminating oral health disparities, and ensuring access to basic oral health services has increased in recent years. This paper sought to articulate the attributes that an ideal oral health care system would possess, which would be consistent with the principles of the leading authorities on the public's health. Methods: The authors reviewed policy statements and position papers of the World Health Organization, The Institute of Medicine, The American Public Health Association, Healthy People 2010 Objectives for the Nation, and the American Association of Public Health Dentistry. Results: Consistent with leading public health authorities, an ideal oral health care system would be have the following attributes: integration with the rest of the health care system; emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention; monitoring of population oral health status and needs; evidence-based; effective; cost-effective; sustainable; equitable; universal; comprehensive; ethical; includes continuous quality assessment and assurance; culturally competent; and empowers communities and individuals to create conditions conducive to health. Conclusions: Although there are some attributes of an ideal oral health care system on which the United States has made initial strides, it falls far short in many areas. The development of an oral health care delivery system that meets the characteristics described above is possible but would require tremendous commitment and political will on the part of the American public and its elected officials to bring it to fruition. [source] A global perspective on changes in the burden of caries and periodontitis: implications for dentistry,JOURNAL OF ORAL REHABILITATION, Issue 12 2007V. BAELUM Summary, The structure and contents of most oral health care systems and the contents of dental curricula reflect a deep-rooted tradition for attempting to cure oral diseases by refined technological means. However, better oral health conditions for the world's populations necessitate the application of up-to-date scientific knowledge to control the major oral diseases. This review points out that not only should the structure and contents of oral health care delivery systems be based on state-of-the-art knowledge about the biology of the oral diseases; they must also take into account the trends for change in caries and periodontal diseases within and between populations, and acknowledge the impact of changes in treatment philosophies for these trends. The oral disease profiles for populations in low- and high-income countries are briefly described, and it is concluded that the rapidly changing disease profiles observed in high-income countries necessitate re-thinking of the future role and organization of dentistry in such countries. The priorities for low- and middle-income countries must be to avoid repeating the mistakes made in the high-income countries. Instead, these societies might take advantage of setting priorities based on a population-based common risk factor approach. If such an approach is adopted, the training of personnel with oral health care competence must be rethought. The authors suggest three different cadres of dental care providers to be considered for an approach that allows health care planners in different populations around the world to prioritize appropriate oral health care with due respect for the socio-economic conditions prevailing. [source] | ||||||||||