Oral health literacy: A dental practice priority

An oral health literacy continuing education (CE) course was developed for dentists participating in a national insurance company. The course responds to initiatives of the Surgeon General and the American Dental Association (ADA). In 2003, the Surgeon General released A National Call to Action to Promote Oral Health, in which there was a specific call to enhance oral health literacy. In 2007, the ADA passed a resolution to support health literacy education in CE courses.

This CE course offers education on the impact of oral health literacy on patient health status and outcomes. Methods for assessing patient health literacy are provided to clinicians. There are numerous tests available to assess the reading level of patients, however most is too time consuming to be used in the clinical setting. A brief “clinic-friendly” health literacy assessment of 3 questions is offered to address this issue. Strategies are provided to improve patient-dentist communication; these include use of written and visual educational resources, techniques such as using a conversational style and avoiding the use of dental jargon. Dental patients who have an incomplete understanding of their oral health status visit the dentist less often for routine oral care than the general population. Even an individual who is relatively well-educated and who functions well at home and at work may have inadequate literacy in the health care setting.

Improving health literacy is vital if people are to successfully navigate the complex healthcare system that currently exists and better manage their own health.