Journal of public health dentistry
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J Public Health Dent · Jan 2012
Oral health literacy: a pathway to reducing oral health disparities in Maryland.
Oral health literacy is a relatively new but critical concept in our efforts to decrease disparities and increase oral health for all Marylanders. Oral health literacy is important because low health literacy contributes to disease which results in increased costs for all of us. ⋯ These individuals include the poor, those with low levels of education, minorities, and the elderly. Prompted by the untimely demise of Deamonte Driver, Maryland has taken the lead in developing a statewide approach to improving oral health literacy with the ultimate objective of reducing disparities.
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J Public Health Dent · Jan 2011
Comparative StudyComparison of patient visits to emergency departments, physician offices, and dental offices for dental problems and injuries.
Our understanding of the use of emergency departments (EDs) and physician offices for the management of dental problems is limited. We undertook this study to examine whether there are differences in their use by low-income White and minority adults as compared with higher-income adults. ⋯ Respondents visiting EDs and physicians typically did not receive definitive care and subsequently visited a dentist for treatment.
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J Public Health Dent · Jan 2011
Comparative StudyIncome, dental insurance coverage, and financial barriers to dental care among Canadian adults.
To explore the issue of affordability in dental care by assessing associations between income, dental insurance, and financial barriers to dental care in Canadian adults. ⋯ Canadian adults report financial barriers to dental care, especially those of low income. These barriers appear to have negative effects with respect to dental visiting and oral health outcomes. For policy, appropriateness will be key, as clarity needs to be established in terms of what constitutes actual need, and thus which dental services can then be considered a public health response to affordability.