250795 So you want to be a public health dental hygienist? making a difference serving seniors

Wednesday, November 2, 2011: 12:30 PM

Lynn A. Bethel, RDH, MPH , Office of Oral Health, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Boston, MA
Intro: Evidence demonstrates that a healthy mouth is linked to over health and wellness. Unfortunately, there are significant unmet oral health needs among seniors in Massachusetts. Even seniors with no natural teeth have oral health needs. Problem: Residing in a long-term care facility can be a barrier to accessing regular professional, dental care due to the senior's inability to get out to a dental facility and the limited number of dental professionals that offer dental care within these facilities. While these magnify the challenges of receiving routine, as well as emergency dental care as someone ages, this also highlights the importance of educating physicians and nursing staff and families on the importance of oral health to systemic health, the etiology of oral disease and techniques to effectively clean the mouth and teeth. It also highlights the importance of dental professionals becoming part of the interdisciplinary team of health professionals serving this population. Solution: Recently, a new category of dental professional was instituted in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The public health dental hygienist (PHDH) may provide preventive dental services to high-risk populations without the supervision of a dentist; to reduce disparities and improve direct access to preventive care to those at highest-risk for dental disease. Conclusion: This video highlights the importance of oral health not only for chewing food and proper nutrition, but to assist in speaking, social interactions and self-esteem, as well as for systemic health. While medical and nursing staff lacks knowledge and time to provide oral health care, jeopardizing the dental health of this vulnerable population. This video promotes the public health dental hygienist as a resource and direct clinical provider settings serving seniors to increase access and reduce disparities.

Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Advocacy for health and health education
Chronic disease management and prevention
Other professions or practice related to public health
Public health or related public policy
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
1. Identify a newly instituted dental workforce model. 2. Describe the oral health status of seniors in Massachusetts. 3. Describe the unmet oral health needs of seniors in Massachusetts. 4. Discuss ways a public health dental hygienist can partner with health professionals to improve oral and general health.

Keywords: Oral Health Needs, Workforce

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the Director of Oral Health for Massachusetts and was the Primary Investigator for this project.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.