thesis topics for public health dentistry

Public Health Dentistry Thesis Topics

Public health dentistry focuses on community-based dental practices aimed at preventing and controlling dental diseases and promoting dental health through organized community efforts. This field plays a crucial role in bridging the gap between individual dental care and community health. Exploring public health dentistry thesis topics allows researchers to address broad-scale health challenges and develop effective interventions. For instance, public health dentistry thesis topics could include studies on the effectiveness of fluoride varnish programs in low-income communities or the impact of public health policies on oral health disparities. 

Additionally, public health dentistry thesis topics can explore innovative educational strategies to enhance oral health literacy among various populations. Such research not only contributes to the academic field but also practically assists in shaping better health outcomes by informing policy and community-based health programs. Furthermore, public health dentistry thesis topics that delve into the integration of dental health services with other community health services can significantly advance holistic health service delivery, ensuring that oral health is not isolated but integrated into the overall health framework of public health systems. This comprehensive approach in public health dentistry is essential for developing inclusive strategies that cater to the diverse needs of communities worldwide.

In the dynamic field of dentistry, Public Health Dentistry stands as a crucial branch dedicated to promoting and safeguarding oral health at the community level. This specialized discipline goes beyond the confines of individual dental care to address the broader aspects of public health, emphasizing prevention, education, and community-oriented strategies. As oral health plays a pivotal role in the overall well-being of individuals, communities, and societies, the significance of Public Health Dentistry becomes increasingly apparent.

Public Health Dentistry encompasses a diverse range of activities aimed at improving oral health outcomes on a population scale. These activities include community-based preventive programs, oral health education initiatives, epidemiological research, policy development, and advocacy for equitable access to dental care. The overarching goal is to enhance the oral health status of communities, reduce oral health disparities, and contribute to the overall improvement of public health indicators.

Choosing an appropriate thesis topic in Public Health Dentistry is a pivotal decision for postgraduate students pursuing a Master of Dental Surgery (MDS) degree. The thesis serves as a cornerstone in the academic journey, providing a unique opportunity for students to delve into significant issues, contribute to existing knowledge, and potentially impact oral health practices at a broader level.

The Importance of Choosing the Right Thesis Topic:

• Relevance to Public Health Challenges: Public Health Dentistry thesis topics should align with contemporary challenges in oral health. Addressing prevalent issues such as dental caries, periodontal diseases, access to dental care, and oral health promotion ensures that the research has practical implications for the community.
• Contribution to Knowledge Base: A well-chosen thesis topic has the potential to contribute to the existing body of knowledge in Public Health Dentistry. By conducting innovative research, students can add valuable insights, propose new solutions, and advance the understanding of oral health dynamics in diverse populations.
• Community Impact: Public Health Dentistry is inherently community-focused. Therefore, selecting a thesis topic that has the potential to make a positive impact on the oral health of a specific community or population group enhances the relevance and significance of the research.
• Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Many public health challenges are multifaceted, requiring collaboration across disciplines. Choosing a thesis topic that allows for interdisciplinary collaboration with professionals in fields such as epidemiology, public health, sociology, and health policy can broaden the scope and depth of the research.
• Policy Implications: Public Health Dentistry is closely linked to policy development and implementation. A well-crafted thesis can provide evidence-based recommendations that influence oral health policies, leading to tangible improvements in community oral health outcomes.

In conclusion, the journey into Public Health Dentistry thesis topics is a nuanced exploration that demands careful consideration. By choosing a topic with relevance, contribution potential, community impact, interdisciplinary appeal, and policy implications, MDS students can embark on a scholarly endeavor that not only fulfills academic requirements but also contributes significantly to the advancement of oral health on a broader scale. This webpage aims to guide aspiring researchers in navigating this critical decision-making process and to inspire impactful contributions to the field of Public Health Dentistry.

PUBLIC HEALTH DENTISTRY THESIS TOPICS (2024 update)

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226 Hot Public Health Thesis Topics For Top Grades

Are you stuck trying to get the best current public health research topics for thesis and writing it? If yes, know you are not alone. A lot of students find the tasks challenging, but we are here to help. Keep reading our informative guide that demonstrates how to prepare an engaging public health paper.

We will also highlight hot 226 health policy topics for paper and other public health ideas for dissertation that you can use for top grades. Why settle for less when we can help you select the best college or university papers?

What Is Public Health?

Before looking at the top public health statistics undergraduate thesis topics or other public health research ideas, let’s start with the definition. So, what is public health?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), public health is “the art and science of preventing diseases, helping to prolong life and promote health using organized efforts. Good examples of public health efforts include preventing outbreaks, educating the public on health choices, promoting fitness, preparing for emergencies, and avoiding the spread of infectious diseases. Public health

How To Write A Great Public Health Dissertation

If you are a graduate or masters student, one of the most comprehensive documents that you need to prepare is the dissertation. It is an expansive paper and comes at the end of your course. Remember that you need to ensure it is prepared well because a team of professors will ultimately evaluate it. So, here are the main steps that you need to follow to prepare a high quality dissertation:

Identify the topic of study Comprehensively research the topic and identify the main points to support it Develop the thesis statement for the dissertation (this thesis will ultimately be tested after gathering your data) Develop an outline for the dissertation. This guide should tell you what to write at what specific instance. Here is a sample outline: Topic of the study Introduction. Start with the thesis statement, followed by the objectives of the study. Then, the rest of the introduction should be used to set the background for the study. Literature review: Review relevant resources about the topic. Methodology: Explain the methodology that was used during the study. Is Results and analysis: Provide the results gathered during the study. Discussion and conclusion: Here, you should discuss the study results and demonstrate whether they approve or disapprove the thesis statement. If you found any gaps in the previous studies, highlight them too and call for further studies. Bibliography: This is a list of all the resources you used to prepare the paper. Write the first draft following the outline we have just listed above. Write the final copy by refining the first draft, proofreading, and editing it.

Awesome Public Health Thesis Topics

Here are the leading thesis topics in public health for top grades. You can use them as they are or tweak a little to suit your preference.

Public Health Thesis Topics In Mental Issues

• What is the role of public health in addressing mental issues in society?
• Seasonal affective disorder: A review of the disorder’s prevalence rates.
• Society should always listen to the needs of mentally ill persons.
• Eating disorders in adults: A review of the treatment strategies used for adults in the UK.
• What is the relation between climate change and emerging public health issues?
• Comparing depression prevalence rates in the UK to those of the US.
• What are the main causes of anxiety disorders in society?
• A review of the connection between HIV/AIDS and mental health issues in society.
• Running a public health facility: What is the most important equipment?
• Emerging public health issues in developing countries.
• Analyzing the psychological problems of breast cancer.
• What strategies should people use to prevent their mental health from social media dangers?
• A review of the public health benefits associated with active lifestyles.
• Stress: Why is it a major risk factor for mental health in many communities?
• What are the most common mental health issues in society today?
• Comparing the rates of depression and stress in China and the UK.
• Addressing anxiety-related disorders: Is cognitive-behavior therapy the best treatment method?
• A review of the economic burden of living with a person suffering from anxiety disorders.
• How does depression impact the quality of life?
• Comparing training of public health officers in the US to India.

Unique Research Topics In Public Health

• Surrogacy: A review of associated ethical issues.
• Prevalence of medical errors in hospitals: A review of the policies used to prevent the problem in the United States.
• Blood transfusion: What are the side effects?
• A review of doctors’ roles in promoting healthy lifestyles.
• Maintaining healthy body weight: Comparing the effectiveness of the recommended methods.
• A review of organ donation trends in Europe and Asia.
• Analyzing the ethical factors around cloning: When should it be allowed?
• The ethics of human experimentation.
• Comparing the rates of heart attacks in women to men in the United States.
• What are the main causes of heart attacks? Can it be prevented?
• Progress in diabetes studies and treatment: Is it possible to get a cure in the future?
• Biological weapons and their impacts on society: A review of the Leukemia rates in Japan.
• Pre-diabetes in children: What are the main symptoms, and how can it be addressed?

Public Health Paper Topics On COVID-19

• How will COVID-19 change life?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of self-isolation?
• Life lessons that you learned during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• What challenges has your community faced during COVID-19 pandemic?
• School life during COVID-19 pandemic.
• A review of mass media operations during pandemic.
• What projects did you undertake during the pandemic?
• A review of projects that your community undertook during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• A closer look at the backlash against Asians in Europe at the start COVID-19 pandemic period.
• Preparing for the next pandemic: What lessons did the world learn from the COVID-19 pandemic?
• The best strategies for staying healthy during a pandemic.
• Is there anything that we could have done to prevent the COVID-19 pandemic?
• Comparing the effectiveness of Europe and American healthcare preparedness for tackling disasters.
• A review of mental health status in a community of your choice during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• A review of COVID-19 emergence theories: Which one do you think is more credible?
• Comparing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic to Ebola.
• Vaccines development for viral infections: What made the development of the COVID-19 vaccine possible so fast, whereas that of HIV/AIDS has taken so long?
• A review of the vaccine development process.
• Time for review: How effectively do you think your government responded to the COVID-19 pandemic?
• Rethinking public health on a global scale: Demonstrating why effective healthcare is only possible when looked at globally.

Interesting Public Health Research Topic Ideas

• What is the importance of learning public health in school?
• Identify and review a common public health issue in your community.
• The history of human health: Comparing what was considered healthy in ancient times to what is referred to as healthy today.
• Going vegan: How can it impact your health?
• Excessive weight: Is it the new threat to human civilization?
• Is bodybuilding healthy?
• Body positive: Is it a new health standard or ignorance of body issues?
• Things to consider when selecting healthy food to eat.
• Why psychological health should be part of every community in society.
• The health of newborns: What is the difference between their healthcare and that of adults?
• Emerging trends in the healthcare industry: How can the latest trends benefit society?
• Comparing depression and anxiety in two countries of your choice.
• Physical wellness must include healthy behavioral patterns and nutrition.
• A sense of belonging is paramount to personal and community health.
• What is the relationship between spirituality and public health?
• A review of stigmatization of mental health issues in a community of your choice.
• Is it possible to prevent depression?
• At what point should children start learning sex-related education?
• Comparing the two main public health issues in two cities: London and New York.
• What is the relationship between poverty and public health?

Hot Researchable Topics In Public Health

• The resurgence of measles in society: The best guidance for clinicians.
• Tackling the growing national drug problem.
• Bioterrorism preparedness for global disasters.
• A review of recent vitamin D recommendations for older adults.
• Strategies for maintaining maternal mortality at low levels across the globe.
• Efforts by Asian governments to reduce infections from using unsafe water.
• Over-the-counter drug abuse in Europe: Compare two countries of your choice.
• Health care providers’ roles in preventing bullying in society.
• Knowledge management in the UK healthcare organizations.
• The health benefits of good healthcare waste management.
• Characteristics of dental wastes in hospitals.
• Comparing the most prevalent public health issues in developed and developing nations.
• Latest trends in financing public health.
• The relevance of clinical epidemiology in public health.
• Evidence based public health.
• Epidemiological burden of HIV/AIDS in developing countries.
• Addressing cervical cancer in developing countries: Is it possible to eliminate it completely?
• Ethics in public health clinical research.
• Comparing the strategies used in teaching and motivating public health professionals in developing and developed countries.

Research Topics In Public Health For Masters

• Advertising and impacts on food choices in the community.
• The use of stem cell technologies for cancer treatment: What are the latest trends?
• Bio-printing: Is it the future of organ transplants?
• Nutrition education: How does it promote healthy diets?
• Exercising: What role does it play in promoting strength and balance in the elderly?
• Weight loss surgery: What are the key advantages and disadvantages?
• Heart disease is a major public health issue in society.
• Alternative strategies for treating depression in society: Are they effective?
• Healthcare leadership and its importance in public health.
• Legal aspects of public health care in the society.
• Mental disabilities in patients: A review of the emerging trends in the UK.
• How does the United States promote the development of public health?
• Inequalities in medicine: What impact does it have in public health?
• The most controversial issues in public health in the UK.
• What are the most preferred storage systems for medical supplies in the UK public health facilities?
• Reimagining the public health systems on the globe: Where do you see the UK health system in the next 20 years?

Top Thesis Topics In Dental Public Health

• Common oral health issues in Ireland.
• A review of common problems of endodontically treated teeth.
• The role of good leadership skills in dental education.
• Child management techniques between male and female practitioners.
• What role does ergonomics play in dentistry?
• Dental material and bio-engineering: What are the latest trends?
• A review of the relationship between diabetes and oral health in the society.
• The role of electronic health care record systems used in public health.
• Comparing dental health issues in the developing and developed countries.
• A review of public awareness of dental health issues in a community of choice.
• How can you ensure that all the food you buy is safe and healthy?
• What strategies are used by your local health community to promote dental awareness?
• Dental health management in California: What do you think should be done differently?
• Are you satisfied with the strategies used to address dental issues?

Hot Thesis Topics Public Health

• Mandatory overtime work for medical staff: How does it impact their commitment to their job?
• Nursing shortage and its impact in public health.
• Strategies for improving public health in the EU.
• Mental health issues among asylum seekers in the United States.
• Common mental issues among veterans returning from war: A case study of the United States.
• What functions does management play in healthcare settings when handling key public health issues?
• How poor relationships between nurses and doctors can impact public health services delivery.
• Third-party players in public health and their roles.
• Financial reporting standards in public health facilities.
• What is the correlation between revenue collection in society and the quality of patient services?
• Reviewing the coordination of public health officials during disasters.
• The importance of staff training on quality of health services.
• Comparing the differences between alternative medicine and conventional medicine in addressing public health issues in society.
• Obesity: What are the main causes in child-going age?
• A review of health consequences of caffeine.
• Medical marijuana: What are the main pros and cons?
• A review of the US Farm Bill Amendments that legalized use of cannabis in the US.
• Doing sports: Is it always healthy?
• Low-fat or low-carb diet: Which one is better in addressing overweight and diabetes issues?
• Preventing communicable diseases: Evaluating the prevention strategies used in Asia.
• What is the estimated cost of treating heart problems?

Controversial Public Health Dissertation Topics

• Smoking and impacts of current efforts to address cancer in the society.
• A review of the main causes of heart attacks in society today.
• Tobacco ads: Evaluating their impacts and the relationship to the current cancer trends in the society.
• Sleep disorders: Explain why they should be considered a public health issue.
• Staffing shortage and the impacts in fighting COVID-19 pandemic in Asia.
• Analyzing risk management of treating different diseases in the community.
• COVID-19 pandemic in numbers: Comparing the infection rates in the developed and developing countries.
• Reviewing strategies used in the US public health system to achieve equity: How effective are they?
• Analyzing the main challenges in the UK medical care system.
• Rising cases of suicides in the society: What are the main causes?
• A comprehensive review of strategies used to prevent suicides in the 21st century in the US.
• Use of vaccines to prevent diseases: Do adults still need the vaccines?
• Heat-related deaths: What strategies should be adopted?
• Chronic-diseases prevention: Comparing the strategies used in developing and developed countries.
• Are we becoming too dependent on antibiotics in fighting diseases?
• Opioid crisis: Are the doctors to blame for it?
• Use of blockchain in growing accuracy of clinical trials in medicine.
• What dangers are posed by nuclear wastes in society?
• Assessing US industrial facilities compliance rates to cut down emissions.
• Using clean energy as a strategy of improving public health: What are the expectations?
• What is the healthiest country?
• Evaluating the correlation between gaming and deviant behavior among children in society.
• COVID-19 could have been prevented if WHO was more vigilant?

Public Health Research Questions

• Is the high cost of medical healthcare in the United States justified?
• What is the correlation between poverty and poor health in society?
• Should health care for homeless people be free?
• Unconventional medicine: Should it be part of the UK healthcare system?
• Should doctors be responsible for medical errors?
• Should medical officers or health facilities be allowed to promote selective medical products?
• Should all healthcare facilities in the UK be required to have translators for non-English speaking clients?
• Mental health issues associated with domestic violence: A case study of France.
• Is it a good idea to legalize euthanasia?
• What are the benefits of using surgical masks in public?
• What are the most important lessons from the different waves of the COVID-19 pandemic reported on the globe?
• Who is more responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic?
• Ebola or COVID-19 pandemic: Which is worse?
• What are the main causes of epidemics on the globe?
• Public health planning: What are the most important things to think about?
• Should governments pay the cost of rehabilitating drug addicts in society?
• Teaching children healthy lifestyles: What are the best strategies?
• What problems do people with autism face in society?
• What are the leading causes of child mortality in your community?
• Gun violence in the United States: Should it be considered a public health issue?
• What illnesses are considered foodborne?

Easy Topics In Public Health

• All workplaces should support breastfeeding.
• What are the best strategies to reduce pollution in society?
• Public health benefits of recycling waste in society.
• Reviewing the causes of poor water quality in the developing world.
• Comparing water quality standards policies in the UK and US.
• Health impacts of the rapid depletion of o-zone depletion.
• Better planning of infrastructural development is important for healthier societies: Discuss.
• The US is better prepared to handle pandemics that might arise after the COVID-19 pandemic. Discuss.
• A review of common diseases spread by vectors.
• A review of key policies installed to protect employee health.
• Legal age for consuming energy drinks should be set by the government to address the problem of diabetes.
• Smoking: Should it be banned in public?
• What are the best strategies for raising awareness in public?
• Can reducing the workload of employees in manufacturing facilities improve their health?
• Sunbathing should be restricted to prevent the risk of cancer: Discuss.
• Should abortion be banned in society?
• School-related stress: How can it be prevented?
• Should birth control be made available and free for all teenagers?
• What should be categorized as a bad health habit?
• Compare and contrast two common treatment methods for treating behavioral disorders.
• Internet addiction: What are the main dangers of internet addiction?

Other Public Health Topics For Research

• How to stay healthy and safe during a pandemic.
• Using a bicycle instead of driving is healthier.
• Common mental disorders in India.
• What is the biggest health issue among young people?
• The impact of exercising in teenagers.
• Why do teenagers experiment with drugs?
• What impact does dispositional violence have on mental disorders?
• Is telemedicine helpful in promoting better healthcare?
• Unproven alternative medicine: What are the associated risks?
• What alternatives do we have for antibiotics?
• What is the difference between private and public healthcare?
• A review of the main health issues associated with puberty.
• What is the most dangerous disease of the 21st century?
• Why are some people still afraid of vaccines?
• Experimental treatment: Why do people agree to undergo it?
• How can we improve the health of people living with chronic illnesses?
• The best strategies to make people aware of the basics of healthcare.
• A review of the growing awareness about reproductive health in the society.

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Dental public health articles within Evidence-Based Dentistry

Comment | 03 September 2024

The role of psychological status in the incidence of traumatic dental injuries in schoolchildren

• Túlio Silva Pereira
• , Juliana Freire-Maia
•  &  Paulo Antônio Martins-Júnior

Comment | 17 August 2024

Changing smiles and minds—a community-based trial on parental knowledge impact on early childhood caries

• Amy Carroll

Comment | 13 August 2024

Which interventions could prevent early childhood caries in pregnant women, new mothers, and other primary caregivers?

• Asim Al-Ansari

Comment 06 August 2024 | Open Access

Dental behaviour support: can we improve qualitative research on patient experience?

• Richard D. Holmes

Comment | 30 July 2024

How do maternal socioeconomic and behavioral patterns affect oral health in early childhood?

• Omer Waleed Majid

Comment 03 July 2024 | Open Access

Investigating the effectiveness of water fluoridation

• Darshini Ramasubbu
• , Jonathan Lewney
•  &  Brett Duane

Comment 28 June 2024 | Open Access

Can traditional oral hygiene methods compete with conventional toothbrushes in effectiveness?

• Waleed Almutairi

Comment 06 June 2024 | Open Access

What is the impact of the UK soft drinks industry levy on childhood tooth decay?

• Samantha Watt

Comment 01 June 2024 | Open Access

Fluoride and children’s IQ: evidence of causation lacking

• Deborah Moore
•  &  Anne-Marie Glenny

Comment 29 May 2024 | Open Access

Has children’s oral health-related quality of life improved more following necrotic primary molars pulpectomy or extraction?

• Majidi Bakar

Comment 25 May 2024 | Open Access

Do chewing gums and sweets containing xylitol prevent caries in children?

Article | 16 May 2024

Effects of post-COVID-19 vaccination in oral cavity: a systematic review

• Anubhuti Sood
• , Sreevatsan Raghavan
•  &  Harsh Priya

Comment | 14 May 2024

Can narrow-diameter implants enhance patient-reported outcomes for mandibular implant-retained overdentures?

Editorial | 02 April 2024

Singing from the same hymn sheet

• Wayne Richards

Comment | 20 March 2024

Salivary lipid changes in young adult tobacco smokers and e-cigarette users: a hidden risk to oral health?

Article | 14 March 2024

Effectiveness of nanosilver fluoride in arresting dental caries in children with one- year follow-up – a systematic review

• Pooja J. Shetty
• , Prasanna Mithra
•  &  Ambili Nanukuttan

Comment | 11 March 2024

Fishing for the evidence on community water fluoridation: a commentary on the CATFISH study

• Lorenzo Iafrate
• , Declan Cairns
•  &  Morag Muir

Comment | 21 February 2024

How far does feedback on oral malodor assessment influence the decision to quit smoking?

Comment | 26 January 2024

Preliminary evidence of impaired oral wound healing in e-cigarette users: a call for perioperative vaping cessation

Comment | 25 January 2024

Oral health education interventions may improve the oral health status of older people

Article | 15 January 2024

Access to dental care in individuals with disability: a systematic review

• Upendra Singh Bhadauria
• , Bharathi Purohit

Comment | 05 January 2024

What factors influence refugees’ attendance to dental care services?

• Stefan Serban
•  &  David I. Conway

Comment 05 January 2024 | Open Access

Is food insecurity associated with dental caries?

Comment | 30 November 2023

Dose- and time-dependent association of smoking and its cessation with risk of peri-implant diseases

Book Review | 22 November 2023

Tobacco dependence: a comprehensive guide to prevention and treatment

• Ana Luisa Amaral
• , Patrícia Alves da Costa Andrade
•  &  Sérgio Araújo Andrade

Comment | 22 November 2023

Is there a significant difference in the oral microbiome in vapers vs non-vapers?

• Yasmine Coll
•  &  Alan Geddes

Book Review | 21 November 2023

Electronic cigarettes and vape devices: a comprehensive guide for clinicians and health professionals

• Richard Holliday

Comment | 13 November 2023

Dose–response association of smoking with delayed healing of apical periodontitis after endodontic treatment

Comment | 02 November 2023

Is the use of tobacco products, especially electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), associated with the incidence of oral health outcomes among US adults?

• C. Albert Yeung

Comment 19 October 2023 | Open Access

What are the health impacts of nicotine and tobacco products on young people?

• Chris Deery

Comment | 20 September 2023

E-cigarette explosion injuries in the oral and maxillofacial region and a protocol for their management

• Vaibhav Sahni

Comment | 15 August 2023

Is the answer to reducing early childhood caries in your pocket?

• Helen Fegan
•  &  Rachel Hutchinson

Article | 03 August 2023

Prevalence of root caries in Indian population – a systematic review and meta-analysis

• Jyothi Shetty
• , Mithra Hegde
•  &  Neevan D’Souza

Article | 20 July 2023

Is bruxism associated with temporomandibular joint disorders? A systematic review and meta-analysis

• Nazanin Mortazavi
• , Amene Hasanzade Tabatabaei
•  &  Abdolhalim Rajabi

Comment | 11 July 2023

Breastfeeding beyond 24 months of age could be a risk for higher childhood caries experience

Comment | 15 May 2023

What factors affect the ability of refugees to access dental care services?

• Jessie E. Tebbutt

Comment | 12 May 2023

Apical periodontitis and autoimmune diseases—should we be screening patients prior to therapy?

•  &  Euan Rae

Comment | 09 March 2023

What is the influence of oral health literacy on the parents’ choice of fluoride toothpaste?

Comment | 07 March 2023

Does using mobile applications and social media-based interventions induce beneficial behavioral changes among orthodontic patients?

• Rahma ElNaghy
• , Riyad Al-Qawasmi
•  &  Majd Hasanin

Article | 07 March 2023

Comparative evaluation of retention and cariostatic effect of glass ionomer, hydrophobic & hydrophilic resin-based sealants: a systematic review and meta-analysis

• Vinamrata Kapoor
• , Adarsh Kumar
•  &  Bhavna Sabbarwal

Summary Review | 22 December 2017

Overdentures may have little impact on nutrient status

Summary Review | 23 June 2017

Effect of essential oil mouthwashes on plaque and gingivitis

• Derek Richards

Chlorhexidine mouthwash plaque levels and gingival health

Smokeless tobacco – a substantial risk for oral potentially malignant disorders in south asia.

• Phillip Seenan
•  &  David Conway

Summary Review | 24 March 2017

Psychological approaches to behaviour for improving plaque control

• Brett Duane

Summary Review | 16 December 2016

Tooth brushing frequency and risk of new carious lesions

• Richard D Holmes

Summary Review | 21 October 2016

Psychosocial determinants of oral health behaviour in adolescents

Summary Cohort | 21 October 2016

Impact of smoking on tooth loss in adults

• Susan J Carson
•  &  Jacqueline Burns

Summary Review | 24 June 2016

Impact of diet on tooth erosion

Summary Review | 25 March 2016

The impact of smoking on failure rates, postoperative infection and marginal bone loss of dental implants

• James R Keenan
•  &  Analia Veitz-Keenan

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• Tobacco cessation in dentistry

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Oral diseases are among the most prevalent diseases globally and have serious health and economic burdens, greatly reducing quality of life for those affected. Although oral diseases are preventable, they remain highly prevalent especially in low- and middle-income countries where affordable oral care is ...

Keywords : Oral Health, Oral Disease, Disease Mechanisms, Disease Awareness, Oral Infections, Oral Investigations, Diagnosis, Prevention

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Dental Public Health: Issues, Challenges and Opportunities

Special issue editors, special issue information, benefits of publishing in a special issue.

• Published Papers

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section " Oral Health ".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2023) | Viewed by 256341

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Dear Colleagues,

The aging of the global population is one of the challenges that dentistry must face in the 21st century, with important implications for health and society. The presence of several medical and dental conditions simultaneously impacts the oral health status of older adults. Furthermore, other factors like psychological, cognitive, and social conditions can further worsen the quality of life of these patients. The scientific community has questioned the traditional medical approach centered on the disease and is paying increasing attention to the patient's involvement in the diagnosis and treatment process, starting from the narrative interview, understood as different from the traditional anamnesis and able to detect the patient's universe.

In addition to oral health management in older adults, Public Dentistry must also face other issues, such as oral cancer, potentially malignant disorders, and adverse drug reactions such as mucositis and medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ), an emerging adverse drug reaction characterized by the progressive destruction and death of maxillary and mandibular bones.

In recent years, technological advances have led to the development of “Telehealth”, defined as the distribution of health-related services via electronic information and telecommunication technologies. The application of this new approach in the field of Public Dentistry, also called “Teledentistry”, can be used to assist general dentists and improve services to underserved populations.

Nevertheless, technological and therapeutic advances are insufficient on their own. Indeed, the increasingly obvious limits found in the approach of the current health care systems "focused on illness" require a radical rethinking by health professionals, in approach and methodology. For this reason,  a new paradigm “focuses on patients” with the aim of reducing inadequate medical practices to ensure more accurate diagnoses and avoid the waste of limited resources.

For this Special Issue we invite submissions in every field of research on Public Dentistry. The topics may include (but are not limited to):

• Applied epidemiology of oral diseases; • Dental health practice and impact (clinical, social); • Oral health promotion and disease prevention; • Public health programs/interventions; • Narrative dentistry and team management; • New approaches and technologies in Public Dentistry; • Dental Public Health: Issues, Challenges and Opportunities; • COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2 Dental emergency and issues around.

Dr. Marco Mascitti Prof. Dr. Giuseppina Campisi Guest Editors

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website . Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form . Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

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• oral cancer
• osteonecrosis of the jaw
• Teledentistry
• geriatric dentistry
• oral epidemiology
• oral health
• public dentistry
• oral prevention
• slow dentistry
• COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2
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Home > Dentistry > dissertations

School of Dentistry Dissertations and Theses

The School of Dentistry Dissertations and Theses Series is comprised of dissertations and theses authored by Marquette University's School of Dentistry doctoral and master's students.

Theses/Dissertations from 2024 2024

IN VITRO COMPARISON OF CELLULAR CYTOXICITY OF CONVENTIONAL VS. CAD/CAM DENTURE BASE MATERIALS , Zainab Hill Albasry

A COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS ANALYSIS COMPARING IRRIGATION WITHIN COMPLEX ROOT CANAL ANATOMY , Madeleinne Fern

Impact of Learning-Style-Based Education on Student Performance and Perception in Preclinical Endodontics: Part II , Rebecca Flaugher

PREEMPTIVE ANALGESIA AND PAIN AFTER PERIODONTAL AND IMPLANT- RELATED PROCEDURES: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS , Christos Gousias

Sleeveless guides are more accurate than sleeved guides: An in vitro study , Jenna Hang

RELIABILITY OF THE CVMS METHOD TO ASSESS THE CRANIOFACIAL GROWTH SPURT , Holly Ingersoll

Morphology of the Cranial Base of Untreated Class I and Class II Subjects , Ethan Just

Performance and Preference of Rotary Files by Pre-Doctoral Dental Students at Marquette School of Dentistry , Morgan Elizabeth McCall

Contribution of Dentoalveolar Heights on Facial Heights in Class I and Class II Untreated Subjects , Mira Bharat Suvagia

ORTHODONTIC LOAD QUANTIFICATION LEVELING A DEEP CURVE OF SPEE WITH DIFFERENT ARCHWIRE DESIGNS , Ahmed Youssef

Theses/Dissertations from 2023 2023

Effects of Thermocycling and Hydrolytic Aging on The Flexural Strength of Additively Manufactured Restorative Materials , Steven Mustafa Abu Al Tamn

LONG-TERM ASSESSMENT OF SKELETAL AND DENTAL ASYMMETRY AFTER CONVENTIONAL AND MINI-SCREW ASSISTED RAPID PALATAL EXPANSION , Brett Barton

Maxillary and Mandibular Incisor and Molar Dentoalveolar Heights in Untreated Subjects Presenting Class I and Class II Malocclusion , Samantha Zavada Cardinal

Factors Associated with Extraction Versus Non-Extraction Treatment Among Orthodontic Patients at Marquette University , Kelley Dentino

Short and Long-Term Effects of Conventional and Miniscrew-Assisted Rapid Palatal Expansion on Hard Tissues Using Voxel-Based Superimposition of Serial CBCTs , Isaac R. Empson

The Effect of Endodontic Access Cavity Designs on Crack Propagation of Mandibular Molars , Colin Kodama

Alveolar Bone Remodeling In Response to Orthodontic Tooth Movement , Matthew Raymond McGrady

A Digital Assessment of Centric Relation Precision , Christine Roenitz

The Influence of the Digitization Method on the Assessment of Accuracy and Reliability of Implant Placements , Ajitesh Singh

Immediate Postoperative Dimensional Changes Following Implant Placement , Juan Felipe Valencia Rincon

The Influence of Peri-Cervical Dentin Conservation on the Propagation of Cracks in Mandibular Molars , Hassanain Zaheer

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Edge-Chipping and Translucency Comparison Among Lithium Silicate-Based Ceramics , Essa Abdullah Alghamdi

Associations Between the Movement of Hard and Soft Tissues After Orthodontic Proclination of Incisors , Scott Beard

Evaluation of Damon PSL and Conventional MBT Brackets in Leveling and Alignment Efficiency , Jacob Beckstrand

Activated Charcoal Versus a Chemical Whitening Agent: Effect on Human Enamel , Hien Thai Doan

Color Characterization of Color Changing Orthodontic Adhesives , Megan Fried

Influence of Free-End Distal Extension on the Accuracy of Guided Implant Placement: An In Vitro Study , Geoffrey Ganzman

Influence of Multiple Root-End Surgery or Root Amputation on Root Surface Stress Distribution , John Curtis Jurkas

Autoignition and Sooting Characteristics of Iso-Octane and Ethanol in an Optical Rapid Compression Machine , Richard John Kempf

The Effect of Tray Design and Impression Material Consistencies on Accuracy of Complete Arch Implant Supported Fixed Dental Prostheses Master Casts , lujain Kurdi

Immediate Postoperative Dimensional Changes Following Guided Bone Regeneration , Morvarid Monfaredzadeh

The Accuracy and Sensitivity of ABO Electronic Cast Radiographic Program ORTHOSHARE 360 Compared to Manual Measurements , Lisa Nguyen

Identifying Optimal Composite Resin Depth to Maximize Fracture Resistance when Restoring Immature Endodontically Treated Teeth , David Poe

Mechanism of Mechanical Vibration in Enhancing Orthodontic Retention- Analysis of Global Gene Expression , Shuwei Wang

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

In Vitro Study to Analyze Reverse Torque Values of Prosthetic Screws with Multiple Loosening/Tightening Preload Cycles , Amira Alhameed

Effects of Cleaning Agents on the Properties of Two Different Thermoplastic Retainer Materials , Jennifer Brehove

Correction of Excessive Gingival Display: Lip Repositioning with/without Myotomy , Austin Michael Dodge

The Influence of the Operator Experience on the Accuracy of Implant Placement: An In Vitro Study , Jeffrey Garcia

Root-End Surgery or Nonsurgical Retreatment: Are There Differences in Long Term Outcome? , Enida Haxhia

Mechanism of Mechanical Vibration in Enhancing Orthodontic Retention , Brent A. Ito

The Incidence of Root Canal Therapy or Extraction after Orthodontic Treatment: A Ten-Year Retrospective Study , Thomas Korte

Outcomes of Nonsurgical Root Canal Therapy Completed in Children Aged 6-13 Years , Lauren M. Loney

Comparing Orthodontic Debonding Aerosol Production with Various High-Volume Evacuation Systems , Eric Moe

Bending and Phase Transformation Properties of a Force Gradient Nickel-Titanium Orthodontic Wire , Brinda Shah

Effects of Fluoride on Corrosion Properties of Orthodontic Retention Wires , John J. Simindinger

Shear Bond Strength Characteristics on Surface Treatment Modalities of CAD-CAM Resin Based Core Materials , Nikita Sinha

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Oral Health and Quality of Life: A Clinic-Based Sample , Kinan M. Al-Bitar

Peri-Implantitis Risk Prediction Using a Computer Based Periodontal Risk Calculator Tool: A Retrospective Study , Walaa AL Zaibak

Assessment of 3D Facial Scan Integration in 3D Digital Workflow Using Radiographic Markers and Iterative Closest Point Algorithm , Mohamed Elshewy

Outcomes of Primary Endodontic Therapy in Medicaid Enrollees , Timothy Gainey

Corrosion Properties of Various Orthodontic Fixed Retention Wires , Tara Lynn Groen

Anatomical Considerations for Miniplate-Anchored Maxillary Protraction in Children with Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate , Jared Holloway

Efficacy of Invisalign: A Retrospective Case Series of Intrusion, Extrusion, and Rotation with Trend Analysis , Kirsten Karkow

The Effect of Mechanical Vibration on Alveolar Bone Following Experimental Periodontitis: A Time Course Study , Joshua Murphy

Accuracy of Merging Scans of Definitive Fixed Prosthodontic Impressions to Obtain Single, Accurate Digitized Master Casts , Ossama Raffa

Tensile Strength of Elastomeric Ligature Ties Stretched Over Large and Small Orthodontic Brackets , Golden Shiloh

Influence of Progressive vs. Minimal Canal Preparations on the Fracture Resistance of Mandibular Molars: A Finite Element Analysis , Michael Smoljan

Impact of Delayed Completion of Previously Initiated Therapy and Provider Type on Outcomes of Root Canal Treatment , Igor Sulim

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

The Cytotoxicity Effect of Silver Solder Materials on Human Periodontal Ligament Fibroblast Cells , Joseph Jeffrey Curry

An in Vitro Study of Surface Alterations to PEEK and Titanium and Its Effect Upon Human Gingival Fibroblasts , Maryam Gheisarifar

Effect of Heat-Treatment Time on Bending Properties of Cobolt-Chromium Orthodontic Wires , Melanie Hammerbeck

The Design and Physical Properties of An Optimized Chitosan Hydrogel for Potential Use in Endodontics , Hunter Housley

Comparison of Power Versus Manual Toothbrush in Reducing Gingivitis , Keerthi Kamreddy

Efficacy of Invisalign Attachments: A Retrospective Study , Theresa Karras

Evaluation of Corrosion Mechanisms in Stainless Steel Orthodontic Retainer Wires , Jamie Martin

Injectable Gels with Potential Use in Endodontics , Maksim Montatskiy

Effect of Different Implant Abutment Materials on Optical Properties of Translucent Monolithic Zirconia Crowns , Nisha Patel

Evaluation of Accuracy of Static Computer-Guided Implant Placement Compared with Partially-Guided or Free-Hand Placement , Laxmi Sukhtankar

The Effect of Mechanical Vibration on Alveolar Bone Following Experimental Periodontitis - A Micro-CT Study , Andrei Dan Taut

The Influence of Full Coverage Restorations On Pulp Vitality: A Ten-Year Retrospective Study , Abby Yavorek

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Effect of Different Finish Line Designs on the Marginal and Internal Fit of Metal Copings Made by Selective Laser Melting Technology , Adel Al Maaz

Effect of Emergence Profile of a Single Implant Restoration on the Health of Peri-Implant Soft Tissue , Waleed Nasir Asiri

Application of Mechanical Vibration to Enhance the Stability After Orthodontic Treatment - A Micro - CT Study , Nicolas Branshaw

A Retrospective Analysis of Patient Medical and Dental Treatment Histories, and MRONJ-Related Events , Jon Irelan

Orthodontic Bond Strength Comparison Between Two Filled Resin Sealants , James Kolstad

Comparison of Immediate vs. Delayed Recall of Orthodontic Information Following an Electronic Reminder , Michael Lenz

Orthodontic Open-Coil Spring Deactivation Forces Differ with Varying Activation Levels , Ryan Lubinsky

Factors Effecting Survival of Teeth with Nonsurgical Root Canal Therapy Including a Multi-State Outcome Analysis , Alex Moore

Orthodontic Treatment Planning Using Direct Visual Approximation of Arch Length Discrepancy and Cephalometric Analyses , Kathleen Rouse Vaught

Comparison of Different Temperatures on Bending Properties of Six Niti Endodontic File Systems , Sukbum Yoo

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

QMIX 2in1 and NaOCI Precipitate: Documentation, Identification, and Exothermic Reaction , Gordon L. Barkley III

Viability of Human Periodontal Ligament Fibroblasts After Time in Tooth Storage Media , Scott MacDonald

Effects of Palatal Expansion on Speech Production , Jason Milton Meinhardt

Reliability of Digital Dental Cast Measures as Compared to Cone-Beam Computed Tomography for Analyzing the Transverse Dimension , Brian Michel

Analysis of Flexural Strength and Monotonic Load to Failure Following Simulated Chairside Adjustments and Repair in a Lithium Disilicate Glass-Ceramic , Ali Ramadhan

The Effect of Heat Treatment on the Bending Properties of a Cobalt-Chromium Orthodontic Wire , Alex Schwab

Comparison of Anterior Denture Teeth Arrangements Made with the Tooth Mold Template and Definitive Computer-Aided Design & Computer-Aided Manufacturing Complete Removable Dental Prostheses , Jose Antonio Sierra

Thermal Properties of Commonly Used Clear Aligner Systems As-Received and After Clinical Use , Louis Wenger

Direct Visual Approximation of Arch Length Discrepancy and Cephalometric Measurements , Bradley J. Wurm

Survival Rates of Primary Endodontic Therapy Following Core/Post and Crown Placement , Kandace Yee

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Evaluation of Die Trim Morphology Made by CAD/CAM Technology , Pratiksha Agrawal

Outcomes of Primary Endodontic Therapy Provided by Endodontic Specialists Compared to Other Providers , Jacob Burry

The Effect of Mechanical Vibration on Human PDL Cell Differentiation and Response to Inflammation , Megan DesRoches

Color Change of Commercial Resin Composited with Different Photoinitiators , Feng Gao

The Effects of Mechanical Vibration on Human Chondrocytes In Vitro , Bradley J. Gauthier

Thermal Properties of Copper Nickel-Titanium Orthodontic Archwires , Joshua Gilbert

Torsion and Bending Properties of EdgeEndo Files , Chad Hansen

Mitigating Distortion of Light-Polymerized Composite Trial Bases , Jon Patrick Irelan

Viability of Human Periodontal Ligament Fibroblasts After Storage in Save-A-Tooth, EMT Toothsaver and Hank's Balanced Salt Solution , Wonhee Lee

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Achieving Oral Health for All through Public Health Approaches, Interprofessional, and Transdisciplinary Education

Julian fisher.

Charite University Berlin

Richard Berman

University of South Florida

George Institute for Global Health, Imperial College London

Uniformed Services University

Michael Glick

University of Pennsylvania

Jonathan Metzl

Vanderbilt University

Riva Touger-Decker

Rutgers School of Health Professions

February 13, 2023

With the publication of the World Health Assembly’s (2021) Resolution on Oral Health, the World Health Organization’s Global Strategy on Oral Health , and the draft Global Oral Health Action Plan 2023–2030 , oral health is now recognized as an integral and primary component of the global health agenda ( WHO, 2022a ; WHO, 2022b ). These documents have, for the first time, introduced a new and accepted definition for oral health that recognizes that the bio-medical model of oral health care—which focuses on health through a disease-centric and curative lens and excludes psychological, environmental, and social influences—is no longer sufficient for people to enjoy the highest state of oral health. The second strategic objective of the WHO’s strategy speaks directly to this point, encouraging the enablement of all people to achieve the best possible oral health, and addressing social and commercial determinants as key risk factors for poor oral health.

While there have undoubtedly been significant advances in oral health in the past two decades ( NIH, 2021 ), these benefits have been more pronounced in certain groups and communities, and have been inequitably distributed across populations. The traditional curative model that has underpinned dentistry for the last century does not work for everyone, for a wide variety of reasons. A systematic analysis of the global burden of disease continues to show stubbornly high levels of unmet oral disease that impact the development, life opportunities, and daily lives of hundreds of millions of children and adults ( Bernabe et al., 2020 ). Furthermore, these consequences of poor oral health do not take into account the additional millions of people impacted by the psycho-social burden of oral disease, which disproportionately affects older adults and people living in poverty ( Senusi et al., 2018 ; Foley and Akers, 2019 ; Taylor et al., 2000 ).

The WHO resolution on oral health and the resulting global strategy are grounded in the UN’s Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular SDG Goal 3 (Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages) and SDG target 3.8 on achieving universal health coverage. These goals and targets seek a broader understanding and framing of oral health that can guide and orient policymakers, decision-makers, administrators, educators, researchers, health workers, and, most importantly, society to go beyond current models of care and broaden the horizons of what is possible. This resolution establishes a narrative for sustainable oral health whereby a person is able to maintain their oral health in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or significant sources of stress. In addition, the resolution and strategy promotes sustainable oral health care where long-lasting partnerships within and outside the health sector deliver services and provide care that meets the needs of today’s populations without compromising the ability of health systems to meet the needs of future generations. This holistic approach could help to reinvigorate both policy-level and societal discussions about social impacts on oral health and hence human health and well-being.

This paper aims to use newly expanded definitions of oral health—from the World Health Organization and the FDI World Dental Federation (FDI) ( Glick et al., 2016 )—to describe opportunities for engaging policy- and decision-makers in ministries, departments of health, and other agencies around the concept of holistic oral health (i.e., mind, mouth, body, soul, and spirit) as it relates to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. To operationalize this idea, the oral health workforce model would need to be expanded. Expansion would be created through collaborations across the health, social service, financial, and educational sectors. Suggestions put forth in this paper explain how the WHO and FDI definitions of oral health could act as a guiding and organizing principle to inform and facilitate such collaborations. In doing so, innovative approaches and models for oral health workforce education and service delivery are formed. This paper is designed to explore those innovative approaches and models through examination of three thematic areas: 1) interprofessional, transdisciplinary, and cross-sectoral education; 2) data and evidence, and 3) policy and regulation; and closes by calling for new models of oral health service delivery systems and financing that can be tested for their returns on investing in the health and wellbeing of underserved communities.

Oral health is a fundamental human right and is inseparable and indivisible from overall health and well-being. Yet despite this, oral health is a neglected area of global health ( Watt et al., 2019 ).

One reason for this is that public and professional discourse often equates oral health with the presence or absence of oral disease. This limited perspective restricts how oral health is addressed. Instead of taking a holistic, person-centered focus, disease treatment becomes the primary aim.

New definitions for oral health have been published by World Health Organization (2022c) ( Box 1 ) and FDI World Dental Federation ( Glick et al., 2016 ) ( Box 2 ), which are aligned and grounded in global commitments, including the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and embrace a more expansive view of oral health ( United Nations, 2022 ).

World Health Organization Definition of Oral Health

WHO describes oral health as “the state of the mouth, teeth and orofacial structures that enables individuals to perform essential functions, such as eating, breathing and speaking, and encompasses psychosocial dimensions, such as self-confidence, well-being and the ability to socialize and work without pain, discomfort and embarrassment. Oral health varies over the life course from early life to old age, is integral to general health and supports individuals in participating in society and achieving their potential”

SOURCE: World Health Organization (WHO). 2022c . Oral Health . Fact sheet. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/oral-health (accessed February 3, 2023).

FDI World Dental Federation Definition of Oral Health

FDI World Dental Federation defines oral health as “multi-faceted,” including “the ability to speak, smile, smell, taste, touch, chew, swallow and convey a range of emotions through facial expressions with confidence and without pain, discomfort and disease of the craniofacial complex (head, face, and oral cavity). Oral health means the health of the mouth. No matter what your age, oral health is vital to general health and well-being.”

SOURCE: Glick, M., D. M. Williams, D. V. Kleinman, M. Vujicic, R. G. Watt, and R. J. Weyant. 2016. A New Definition for Oral Health Developed by the FDI world Dental Federation Opens the Door to a Universal Definition of Oral Health. Journal of the American Dental Association 147 (12): 915-17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adaj.2016.10.001 .

WHO’s definition reinforces a broader definition of health promotion and disease prevention, stating, “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” ( World Health Organization, 2022a ). The FDI definition addresses not just the presence and absence of disease, but also physiological function and psychosocial status. Physiological functions associated with oral health include the ability to chew, smile, laugh, speak, and taste, while psychosocial status is the ability to interact without embarrassment and social discomfort due to one’s teeth. For example, missing or stained teeth may reduce an individual’s willingness to smile, thereby impacting job prospects—especially when interactions with the public are necessary ( British Dental Journal, 2016 ). A diseased oral cavity affects physiological function and psychosocial status so that it can become socially problematic, and have financial ramifications, to socialize and work without embarrassment or pain from broken or missing teeth and halitosis. The WHO definition also recognizes the importance of orofacial structures in musculo-skeletal function ( Bonato et al., 2017 ). Collectively, these three domains affect an individual’s ability to perform essential functions, thereby impacting self-confidence and well-being.

In the United States, as well as around the globe, oral diseases disproportionately affect poor and traditionally marginalized members of societies, including those who are on low incomes; people living with disability; older people living alone or in assisted living or long-term care facilities; those impacted by substance misuse, including alcohol and illicit drugs; migrants or refugees; people in prison; remote and rural community members; and people from minority and/or other socially marginalized groups ( WHO, 2022a ). WHO and others report a strong and consistent association between socioeconomic status—including income, occupation, and educational level—and the prevalence and severity of oral diseases and conditions ( Matsuyama et al., 2018 ; Peres et al., 2019 ). The treatment of oral diseases and conditions are often cost-prohibitive and not part of universal health coverage, nor are they well-supported through insurance plans (Northridge et al., 2020; WHO 2022c ).

The WHO and FDI definitions and their associated conceptual frameworks can catalyze ambitious global, regional, national, and local responses to promote oral health. An understanding of oral health that is grounded within the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development establishes a new narrative for oral health where the mouth is a gateway to the external world, but also provides insights into the health and psychological well-being of a person, well beyond the oral cavity. In many cultures and forms of traditional medicine, the soul and spirit are an integral part of health and oral health beliefs and behaviors (Thu et al., 2020). For example, Ayurvedic medicine, people of Māori descent, and the Indigenous American and First Nations people of Australia all accept the body-soul-spirit nexus as fundamental to health and well-being (Torwane et al., 2014; Collin, 2017). Such a narrative unites the mind, mouth, body, soul, and spirit to catalyze a more holistic approach to oral health.

While not explicitly mentioned in the WHO and FDI definitions, the inclusion of the body-soul-spirit nexus would ensure culturally appropriate and inclusive oral health care for these traditionally underserved communities. This fresh perspective also speaks to a shift from a bio-medical model of care to a bio-psychosocial-spiritual one. The shift recognizes that health and oral health is influenced by a range of factors, including multigenerational trauma experienced by specific cultural, racial, or ethnic groups; lived oppression; and discrimination and poverty (Gameon and Skewes, 2020). Health and oral health are also affected by life circumstances and life course events, which can be shaped by commercial determinants (i.e., commercial actors like tobacco, alcohol, and food and beverage companies are important drivers of non-communicable diseases) (Maani et al., 2020).

Understanding Sustainable Oral Health

The new definitions of oral health are aligned with and will contribute to achieving the 2030 Agenda and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals ( United Nations, 2022 ). Goal 3, to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages, is particularly relevant for envisioning sustainable oral health ( WHO, 2022b ). A successful sustainable oral health approach ( Box 3 ) enables a person to maintain their oral health in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or significant sources of stress. Doing so requires long-lasting partnerships within and outside the health sector, as well as engagement with government, communities, civil society, and the private sector. Operationalizing sustainable oral health would encourage the co-design and co-production of innovative approaches to oral health promotion, prevention, and care, and provide opportunities to develop responsive and sustainable models of each.

What is Sustainable Oral Health?

Sustainable oral health recognizes that oral health is intrinsic and inseparable from general health and well-being, and that oral health care is an integral part of health and development from the very first moments of life and throughout the life course.

Sustainable oral health approaches enable a person to maintain their oral health in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or significant sources of stress. This can be achieved by:

• grounding oral health in the Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 SDGs so that collective efforts meet the oral health needs of current populations without compromising the capacity and capability to meet the needs of future generations,
• taking action in areas of critical importance for humanity and the planet through whole of government, whole of society approaches,
• committing political and financial resources to oral health in order to strengthen leadership and create win-win partnerships within and outside the health sector,
• adopting innovative workforce models and revising and expanding competency-based and interprofessional education to respond to population oral health needs,
• integrating essential oral health care into primary care, and ensuring related financial protection and essential supplies, and
• enhancing surveillance and health information systems to provide timely and relevant feedback on the status of oral health to decision-makers for evidence-based policymaking.

SOURCE: Developed by authors.

Operationalizing Sustainable Oral Health

Taken together, FDI’s definition of oral health and the concept of sustainable oral health, it is apparent that the traditional oral health workforce led by dentists is able to assess and manage FDI’s first domain of oral health (i.e., the presence and absence of disease in the structures of the oral cavity). The other two domains, physiological function and psychosocial status, are poorly addressed if at all in predoctoral and postgraduate education and training, or as part of in-service and continuing professional development of dentists and other members of the oral health care team. The focus on the first domain is reflected in current modalities of oral health promotion and oral disease prevention, which prioritizes the relationship and communication between a patient and members of the oral health care team. In the existing model of oral health promotion and oral disease prevention, an action such as tooth brushing with fluoridated toothpaste is frequently a solitary activity undertaken by an individual away from supporting relationships and networks.

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the limitations of the traditional curative model and the weak integration of oral disease control and prevention across health and social care programs and services. Profound ramifications of inequitable access to oral health care at both the individual and population levels were exacerbated by the pandemic and are now playing out in homes, workplaces, and health care facilities around the world ( Brian and Weintraub, 2020 ; Huang and Chang 2022 ; León and Giacaman, 2020 ; Stennett and Tsakos, 2022 ). For example, in the U.S., more than 49 million residents live in communities with little to no access to dental care ( Brian and Weintraub, 2020 ). According to Brian and Weintraub (2020), this shortage was exacerbated by the closing of school-based oral health programs during the pandemic so the 39% of low-income students who would have received sealants through these clinics were not served. Similar scenarios played out around the world during the course of the pandemic; for example, the UK’s National Health Service reported an overall 98% decline in dental services and León and Giacaman (2020) documented a lack of dental care for older adults residing in Latin American long-term care institutions ( Stennett and Tsakos, 2022 ). As such disparities have become more evident, calls have increased for oral health leaders and workers to collaborate across sectors in order to address the social and commercial determinants of health.

When oral health is seen as a manifestation of the social and commercial determinants of health affecting one’s systemic and mental health, nutrition, speech, and psychological well-being, it becomes clear that the health and social care workforce, including non-traditional health workers, must be trained with an intersectoral, interprofessional, and transdisciplinary lens. Intersectoral education such as WHO Health in All Policy Approaches recognizes that most oral diseases and conditions are preventable and can be effectively addressed through population-based public health measures at different levels. Interprofessional education for collaborative practice (IPECP) enables health and social care professions to learn with and from each other. Young children visit a pediatrician more often than they visit a dentist, for example, so IPECP would support the primary care team to play a more direct role in oral health promotion, education, preventive strategies, and surveillance and early identification of disease. And transdisciplinary learning reinforces intersectoral and interprofessional learning by building competencies and skills in subjects and areas of common interest across sectors, for example diet and nutrition across health, food, and primary and secondary school education systems.

It is essential that all involved understand how the mouth and oral health fit within education that sees the body as a whole. An oral health workforce that includes non-traditional oral health team members could make a significant contribution to realizing sustainable oral health. Such an expanded oral health workforce could include physicians, school nurses, midwives, pharmacists, social workers, dietitians, community health workers, speech language pathologists, and other health providers, as well as non-traditional members such as civic and religious leaders, teachers, and school cafeteria workers. Those non-traditional oral health team members are in daily contact with children and families across the income level spectrum and could be the eyes and ears for an expanded oral health team. They can act as powerful community advocates and strengthen social accountability in health workforce education and training. Such a broad team approach would help expand the focus of oral health promotion and oral disease beyond the traditional emphasis on disease prevention to incorporate all three domains of the FDI definition of oral health, including addressing cultural beliefs and dietary needs that relate to oral health. A reconceptualized workforce could open also discussions around psychological well-being, diet and nutrition, and the role of the oral microbiome in oral and general health ( Pitts et al., 2021 ).

To achieve these goals, the oral health workforce must acquire new skills and competencies for interprofessional, transdisciplinary, and intersectoral collaboration to promote habits and healthy lifestyles across relevant settings. Schools, communities, homes, and workplaces should enable teachers and families to be equal partners with health professionals while ensuring privacy of personal health data. The result would be integrated people-centered health services, as proposed by the World Health Organization’s 2016 Framework in Integrated, People-Centered Health Services ( WHA, 2016 ); in this framework, non-dentists are essential members of the oral health care team.

A New Model for Sustainable Oral Health Promotion

A successful sustainable oral health approach is community-based and engaged, and deliberately targets holistic care of underserved populations. Such an approach would allow the oral health workforce to address critical gaps in oral health services and care. Oral disease prevention and health promotion as well as care gaps are especially pronounced for certain groups within underserved communities, including infants (0–3 years old), young children (3–5 years old), persons with disabilities, and frail older adults ( NIH, 2021 )—groups that all have an inability to function independently. A holistic model for oral health promotion directed at infants would support a “village” of caregivers who might include pregnant women and new parents, grandparents, extended relatives, and neighbors, all responsible for the baby’s health. This model would aim not only to improve the overall health of the infant but also the multi-generational group of carers and community members responsible for implementing health promotion activities for the baby. A similar model could be envisioned for young children and frail older persons who often have limited function and are dependent on caregivers.

Another potential target group is adolescents transitioning into adulthood, a critical period of life when neglect of oral health in the formative years could have profound impacts on psychosocial behavior and self-esteem ( Kaur et al., 2017 ). It is also a time when risk factors for poor health, such as binge drinking alcohol and the use of tobacco products, are often initiated. According to the National Institutes of Dental and Craniofacial Research’s 2021 report, adolescent populations that could be targeted for a model of sustainable oral health promotion might include immigrants, LGBTQ youth, those in foster care and the juvenile justice system, young adults who are homeless, and youth from underserved geographical areas (NIDCR, 2021).

While no existing models for sustainable oral health promotion have been uncovered for any of the identified underserved populations, in 2019, Gargano et al . published an Ecological Model to Advance Oral Health Equity that was inspired by school-based oral health programs from around the world emphasizing social determinants and health equity. In this model, the authors describe influences on health care access and the potential value for health and wellbeing that draw from health-promoting concepts proposed by WHO. At the center of the model are three outcomes of interest for school-aged children—health care access, general health and well-being, and enhancing understanding of healthy life choices among students, teachers, and parents. A model of sustainable oral health promotion for underserved communities could take a similar approach, emphasizing lifelong learning across professions and throughout families and communities; relying upon evidence-informed strategies to achieve oral health equity; and addressing policy-level decisions impacting the mind, mouth, body, soul, and spirit. The following three sections consider how each of these elements fits into a new model of oral health promotion.

Interprofessional, Transdisciplinary, and Intersectoral Education and Lifelong Learning

Interprofessional (IP) and transdisciplinary learning (TL) and Intersectoral (IS) approaches can serve as a roadmap to translate and apply the new definitions of oral health in a coherent, consistent, and mutually reinforcing manner. To do so, however, the institutional education and learning landscape must be reconfigured from a conventional siloed model to a network of many interconnected hubs supplying hybrid, formal, and non-formal learning opportunities over the life course. Schools, colleges, universities, and other tertiary education institutions, as well as community-based learning facilities and workplaces, could gradually become integrated learning centers in mutually reinforcing learning networks. Such networks would form more flexible and responsive lifelong learning systems and help to harmonize education and training for a wide and diverse range of occupations to achieve oral health for all.

A lifelong learning framework for oral health education and training of both dentists and non-dentists alike must go beyond the disease lens and emphasize FDI’s psychosocial and physiological domains ( Glick et al., 2021 ; NASEM, 2016 ; O’Carroll et al., 2016 ). Combining the IP, TL, and IS approaches will require a sustained and coordinated exchange among workers within health care and non-health care professions. A first step for the framework to be accepted more broadly is for leadership in each of the health and non-health professions to embrace this effort. One venue for promotion is the annual convenings of the National Interprofessional Initiative on Oral Health, which brings together top elected and staff leaders of major health professions and the community health workforce to cultivate leaders; facilitate interprofessional learning and agreement; support and develop tools and resources to create a shared knowledge base, understanding, skills, and culture of oral health; and support, align, and connect oral health advocates and networks.

There are six key aspects to this expanded learning approach.

• 1. The oral health team composition needs to shift based on context, site, and setting. In this way, two or more professions work together to prevent issues stemming from poor oral health by focusing on the psychosocial and physiologic domains of an individual’s oral health (Dolce et al., 2014, Dolce et al. 2016 ; Silk, 2017 ).
• 2. A people-centered oral health approach must be community-engaged and based, as well as equitably distributed within the health care system (acute, psychiatric, long-term and ambulatory care, federally qualified health centers) and in community settings such as health and community centers, prisons, shelters for the homeless, halfway houses, and Indian Health Services ( Bonwell et al. 2014 ; Kisely, 2016 ; Meldrum et al., 2018 ; Sabato et al., 2018 ; Benzian et al., 2021 ; Bhattacharya et al., 2021 ; Garcia et al., 2021; Northridge et al., 2021 ; Faisal et al., 2022 ).
• 3. People-centered oral health care will require didactic and experiential education and training as part of lifelong learning pathways so that health professionals and students feel competent as interprofessional, transdisciplinary, and intersectoral collaborators for oral health care and prevention and for holistic mental and physical health promotion ( Weintraub, 2017 ; Haber et al., 2021 ).
• 4. Didactic and experiential oral health education and training should extend to non-health professionals (i.e., teachers, school workers, and community workers) and build the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that foster a culture of holistic oral health. This will empower these individuals to be interprofessional and transdisciplinary collaborators in oral health promotion ( Negro et al., 2019 ; Khurana et al., 2020 ; Ponce-Gonzalez et al., 2021 ).
• 5. Education curricula should be aligned to community needs, and student selection should be targeted, with priority given to underrepresented populations, interprofessional training in underserved locations and in areas of need, expansion of faculty in rural areas, and close partnership with communities ( Pálsdóttir et al., 2017 ).
• 6. Social determinants of health should be integrated into health workforce education and training ( De Maeseneer et al., 2020 ). Through community-engaged and reflective exercises, learners can consider how their own experiences have shaped their life options and their way of thinking while also gaining a greater understanding of the issues around positioning, privilege, and marginalization.

Working across professions and intentionally involving mental health experts will not only help learners and educators navigate through emotionally charged times, but can also highlight how mental health is a critical part of considering one’s overall health and well-being.

Evidence-informed Strategies for Oral Health Equity

To successfully implement interprofessional education (IPE) and, by extension, to educate students committed to and comfortable with interprofessional practice (IPP), particularly those involving non-traditional oral health domains, it is essential to understand the enablers and barriers to IPE and IPP. For example, if care providers are expected to work together toward holistic care, prevention, and health promotion of an infant’s mind and body, which includes the mouth, it is important to understand research gaps as well as enablers and barriers to implementing effective IPE and IPP.

A brief literature search did not uncover data and evidence on a combined IP, TL, IS approach. Similarly, there is limited evidence, if any, on efforts for transdisciplinary oral health education and learning to collectively engage community-based and non-traditional oral health workers such as day care providers, nursing home assistants, coaches, and food management personnel. There are also data gaps within the health sector, specifically in the area of interprofessional education (IPE) and interprofessional practice (IPP) addressing oral health promotion.

O’Carroll et al. (2016) identified several research gaps in empirical IPE and IPP research to date in their 2016 article Health and Social Care Professionals’ Attitudes to Interprofessional Working and Interprofessional Education: A Literature Review. These gaps include limited data focused on the attitudes of health care, education, and social work professionals to IPE and IPP; limited evidence of variables affecting attitudes; and limited insight into IPP educators’ perspectives of the enablers and barriers to IPE and IPP ( O’Carroll et al., 2016 ). More recently, efforts are underway by the National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education to advance the science of IPE and IPP by working with program leaders at more than 70 interprofessional sites implementing interprofessional education and collaborative practice pro grams (Delany et al., 2020). Given the paucity of data in this area, further empirical work is clearly needed.

According to O’Carroll et al. (2016) , there are four primary enablers of IPP: effective communication, established roles for professionals, IPP for qualified professionals, and shared processes and policies. A full picture of the researcher’s work on enablers and barriers to IPP and IPE is presented in Table 1 . Additionally, Skinner et al. (2021) identified three key themes based on input from allied health professions’ interprofessional supervisors: introducing the interprofessional lens early; tapping into unique possibilities; and setting up the experience to maximize success.

SOURCE: O’Carroll, V., L. McSwiggan, and M. Campbell, 2016. Health and Social Care Professionals’ Attitudes to Interprofessional Working and Interprofessional Education: A Literature Review. Journal of Interprofessional Care 30(1): 42-49. https://doi.org/10.3109/13561820.2015.1051614 .

Policy and Regulation

The WHO’s Global Strategy on Oral Health calls for the “recognition and integration of oral health in all relevant policies and public health programs as part of the broader national noncommunicable and Universal Health Coverage agendas” ( WHO, 2022a ). The strategy sets out six strategic objectives: (1) improve oral health governance; (2) enable oral health promotion and oral disease prevention; (3) develop the health workforce; (4) integrate oral health care in primary health care; (5) enhance oral health information systems; and (6) strengthen oral health research agendas. To successfully implement the strategy, specific health sector policies must be updated to reflect a new conceptualization of oral health. Such policies would have multiple aims, including:

• recruiting, producing, and developing a fit-for-purpose health workforce;
• integrating oral health into policies aimed at preventing and controlling non-communicable diseases (i.e., regulatory, tax, marketing, and access measures around tobacco, alcohol, and junk foods);
• incorporating essential oral health—tailored for age-appropriate oral health strategies—into primary health care to ensure related financial protection and access to needed supplies; and
• ensuring the availability and broader use of WHO essential medicines, such as fluoridated toothpaste, silver diamine fluoride, and glass ionomer cement.

These elements would strengthen health policies and enable the oral health workforce to address critical gaps in oral health services and thus offer better care by addressing the holistic needs of underserved populations. Teledentistry may be one way to reach people in underserved communities; the WHO strategy includes “optimizing digital technologies for oral health” as a core principle, although it does not include it in one of the six strategies. Leveraging telehealth policies created during the pandemic could be a way of caring for patients who do not currently have access to oral health services.

Additionally, incorporating non-health sector policies that benefit oral health would demonstrate to communities the importance of oral health while also creating partnerships within and outside the health sector. Cross-sector policies could be operationalized by intensifying and expanding upstream and midstream actions on the social and commercial determinants of oral health. Examples include implementing sugar taxes, ensuring that optimal fluoridation systems are in place, coordinating on phasing out mercury amalgams, and undertaking oral health promotion in key settings such as schools and long-term care facilities ( Albrecht et al., 2016 ; Health Care Without Harm Europe, 2018 ; Jamieson et al., 2020 ; Bramantoro et al., 2021 ; Murchio and White 2022 ).

An intersectoral approach to oral health policymaking emphasizes the whole person and the equity of the community by integrating oral health promotion and prevention into both public health and non-health structures. This holistic approach to oral health would inevitably involve a broad range of stakeholders from finance, social protection, economics, education, environment, telecoms, and other relevant sectors as well as a range of government ministries. The success of such an approach, however, would depend on the willingness of policymakers to collaborate. Both objective and subjective assessment measures should be used to evaluate the pros and cons of an intersectoral approach, which could then be used to form a model that could be tested in other communities, particularly those that have traditionally been underserved.

Moving Forward

A new model of sustainable oral health promotion needs to address the many challenges that underserved communities face. These challenges include, but are not limited to, the perennial difficulty of bringing together different sectors to collaborate on health (Buse et al., 2022). They also include changing mindsets and financing models. For example, the organizations that pay for oral health promotion are likely the same organizations that currently pay for dental care and preventative treatments such as fluoride. These payers—insurance companies, governments, and businesses—will want to know the costs and projected savings up front ( Box 4 ). Without such data, the likelihood of a shift to paying for an interprofessional, transdisciplinary, intersectoral approach is slim. Additionally, a shift to more complex funding mechanisms for oral health (as compared with the traditional model of restorative care) raise questions of how this will work in practice and how it can be measured. Changes in scopes of practice will give rise to other questions and concerns. Who will provide which aspect of oral health promotion and prevention, who will supervise it, who is paid, how do they get paid, and by whom will they be paid? Lastly, the implications of more evenly distributed funding will need to be taken into account.

Barriers to Dental Health Posed by Insurance

Insurance policies and programmes can create major barriers to dental health. Gaps in health insurance can explain the significant role of employer-based private health insurance and out-of-pocket payments for example dental and visual care in the US. In public dental services the most common payment systems for dental care are capped-fee and fee-for-service payment models. The two payment systems can impact on individual outcomes, such as by overtreatment in a fee-for-service system and undertreatment in a capped-fee system.

Setting national objectives aimed at oral disease prevention and health promotion could help reorient oral health insurance policies and programmes to promote financial protection for essential oral health care and reduce the need for dental restoration ( ODPHP, n.d. ). Public and private oral health insurance data on coverage, health outcomes and economic information would support expanded coverage of oral health services, which is one of the cornerstones of Universal Health Coverage.

Despite the multitude of challenges, the WHO’s Global Strategy on Oral Health offers an optimistic view that change is possible. Grounding oral health in the 17 SDGs provides a roadmap for multisectoral action, and an impetus for increased efforts to promote interprofessional and transdisciplinary education and training on oral health. Complex challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and humanitarian crises caused by geo-political instability and climate change, are accelerating both a policy shift and the implementation of a transformative health workforce and health workforce education. If this expanded approach to oral health promotion can be properly timed with other societal changes, there is a significant opportunity to successfully embed oral health promotion models for underserved populations into new policies. Public demand could be a key driver of change and transformation, as more communities demand holistic responses to their health and well-being rather than siloed treatment and care models.

Realizing Sustainable Oral Health

A fresh narrative has emerged from new definitions of oral health, enabling a shift from a bio-medical model of care to one that recognizes the full spectrum of health and oral health—where oral health is understood to be influenced by a wide range of bio-psychosocial-spiritual perspectives and external social, economic, and environmental factors. There are still barriers to approaching oral health through this interprofessional, transdisciplinary, and intersectoral lens, but there are reasons to be optimistic that the ongoing shifts will be successful. Public attitudes are moving towards embracing greater prevention and health promotion activities, and towards adopting sustainable practices and behaviors in society. This is paving the way for a shift to holistic oral health promotion across the life course, from infants and youth to older persons. As this occurs, the composition of the oral health workforce is expanding, and more individuals and institutions are involved in oral health governance. With this shift, members of traditional dental teams can drive greater cooperation among different health professions and with community members. It is essential to ensure financial support by payers to further encourage active engagement in transition and implementation processes for a person-centered oral health promotion model.

Data on cost savings are still needed. As political awareness and recognition of the value of integrated person-centered oral health services grows, demonstration projects with private and public funding could require that programs in underserved communities measure the return on investment. Pilot studies can be undertaken to establish proof of concept, with cooperation and collaboration among health professionals, community members, governments, and payers of care. In doing so, policies can be written based on evidence and with societal support that reflect the new definitions of oral health and can provide pathways to health—in mind, mouth, body, soul, and spirit—for all people.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge Patricia Cuff, Senior Program Officer at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, for her valuable support for this manuscript; and Justice Armattoe , Public Health Analyst at the D.C. Department of Health, and Anita Glicken, MS, Executive Director at the National Interprofessional Initiative on Oral Health, and Jeffery Stewart, DDS, MS, Senior Vice President for Interprofessional and Global Collaboration, for their review of this paper.

Funding Statement

The views expressed in this paper are those of the authors and not necessarily of the authors’ organizations, the National Academy of Medicine (NAM), or the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (the National Academies). The paper is intended to help inform and stimulate discussion. It is not a report of the NAM or the National Academies.

Conflict-of-Interest Disclosures: Riva Touger-Decker reports employment at Rutgers University and Jones & Bartlett Learning outside the submitted work.

Contributor Information

Julian Fisher, Charite University Berlin.

Richard Berman, University of South Florida.

Kent Buse, George Institute for Global Health, Imperial College London.

Bruce Doll, Uniformed Services University.

Michael Glick, University of Pennsylvania.

Jonathan Metzl, Vanderbilt University.

Riva Touger-Decker, Rutgers School of Health Professions.

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The Oral Health in America Report: A Public Health Research Perspective

ESSAY — Volume 19 — September 8, 2022

Jane A. Weintraub, DDS, MPH 1 ( View author affiliations )

Suggested citation for this article: Weintraub JA. The Oral Health in America Report: A Public Health Research Perspective. Prev Chronic Dis 2022;19:220067. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd19.220067 .

PEER REVIEWED

Introduction

Data needed, health disparities and social determinants of health, individual and community relationships, scientific advances and equitable distribution, educational opportunities, acknowledgments, author information.

In December 2021, the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, released its landmark 790-page report, Oral Health in America: Advances and Challenges (1). This is the first publication of its kind since the agency’s first Oral Health in America: A Report of the Surgeon General described the silent epidemic of oral diseases in 2000 (2). This new, in-depth report, an outstanding resource, had more than 400 expert contributors. Its broad scope is exemplified by its 6 sections ( Box ), each of which includes 4 chapters: 1) Status of Knowledge, Practice, and Perspectives; 2) Advances and Challenges; 3) Promising New Directions; and 4) Summary. In this essay, I provide a public health research perspective for viewing the report, identify some advances and gaps in our knowledge, and raise research questions for future consideration.

Box. Section Titles, Oral Health in America: Advances and Challenges (1)

1. Effect of Oral Health on the Community, Overall Well-Being, and the Economy

2A. Oral Health Across the Lifespan: Children

2B. Oral Health Across the Lifespan: Adolescents

3A. Oral Health Across the Lifespan: Working-Age Adults

3B. Oral Health Across the Lifespan: Older Adults

4. Oral Health Workforce, Education, Practice, and Integration

5. Pain, Mental Illness, Substance Use, and Oral Health

6. Emerging Science and Promising Technologies to Transform Oral Health

A recurring theme in the report is the need for many types of data, from microdata — the molecular, nanoparticle level — to macrodata — the population and global level. Data are needed to guide public health policies and programs at the federal, state, and local levels. Future research using big data from multiple sources (eg, community health needs assessments, surveillance systems, GIS mapping, electronic health records, practice-based research networks) will provide timely, population-based information to evaluate and drive changes to policy and delivery systems and oral health advocacy efforts.

This new report includes descriptive national data from 3 cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). To continue monitoring national oral health surveillance data and trends, oral health data need to be included routinely in NHANES and in other large national studies. Too often, questions about oral health are missing from surveys, or clinical oral health data are not collected. For example, very little about oral health was included as part of the planned data collection protocol for the National Institutes of Health All of Us Research Program. This program aims to collect health information from 1 million people (3). Local and state data are often outdated, incomplete, or unavailable. Most oral health data are cross-sectional and are useful for studying trends and associations, but population-based longitudinal data to study causality and the effectiveness of interventions and policies are sparse.

How does oral health care improve other health conditions? Proprietary claims data from insurance companies (4) show the inter-relationship between treatment of periodontal disease and systemic conditions, but secondary data analysis has many limitations and confounding factors. Clinical trials show that periodontal treatment improves glycemic control among people with diabetes (5), but long-term outcome assessments are lacking. We need more answers to convince policy makers and payers about the importance of including comprehensive adult oral health services in publicly financed programs such as Medicaid, which is currently lacking in many states, and Medicare, where those services are missing altogether.

Many examples of substantial oral health disparities and inequities are presented in Section 1 of the report. For some conditions and population groups, little improvement has been made, especially among adults and seniors. Section 1 also describes the adverse social, economic, and national security effects of poor oral health, barriers to care, social and commercial determinants of oral health, and related common risk factors. More than the clinical data collected in a typical dental history is needed to understand social determinants and employ local and upstream interventions. The report suggests obtaining social histories from patients to get information about where people live, learn, work, and play. For example, to learn about socioeconomic status, diet, and medications, we want to know not only “What’s in your wallet,” (as touted in a frequent television advertisement) but what’s in your refrigerator? What’s in your medicine cabinet? Telehealth has given clinicians a look inside patients’ homes. Collaboration with social workers, home health aides, and visiting nurses could inform us even more about the home environment. With integrated electronic medical and dental patient records, oral health professionals and medical colleagues can share information. Barriers to integration and assessment of population health outcomes affect many dentists who still use paper records or software specific to dental care that lacks diagnostic codes and interoperability with other health care records systems (6).

The report highlights the need for more information about adolescents and older adults and other understudied population groups. Section 1 describes many diverse, vulnerable populations (eg, people with special health care needs, low health literacy, mental illness, substance abuse disorders; victims of structural racism) who all need to be included in oral health research. Non-English speakers and hard-to-reach populations that have physical and/or financial barriers to traditional dental care are less likely to be recruited and represented in clinical trials, making results less generalizable and interventions less applicable. The applied research agenda being developed by the American Association of Public Health Dentistry (7) and the “Consensus Statement on Future Directions for the Behavioral and Social Sciences in Oral Health,” which is based on an international summit (8), are helpful in setting research and methodologic priorities, including qualitative, implementation, and health systems research.

Knowledge about the interrelationships between oral and systemic health has greatly expanded since the 2000 report. About 60 adverse health conditions have now been shown to be associated with oral health (1), which is part of the rationale for the integration of oral health and primary care. Research will advance our understanding of the mechanisms by which oral and systemic conditions are affected by upstream environmental and social factors, epigenetic factors, and the aging process, both individually and communally. For example, how do external exposures change our microbiomes? Our oral microbiome may be exposed to air containing Sars-CoV-2, water containing protective fluoride, or many kinds of food, beverages, medications, illicit substances, smoked products, and sometimes the biome of close personal contacts. How does the health of a community’s high caries risk groups change with policies such as a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages, Medicaid reimbursement changes, or health promotion efforts to improve oral health literacy and dietary behaviors? To what extent will increased application of value-based health care reimbursement with emphasis on disease prevention, early detection, and minimally invasive care improve oral health? Will the World Health Organization’s addition of dental products (eg, fluoride toothpaste, low-cost silver diamine fluoride, glass ionomer cement) to its Model List of Essential Medicines (9) increase their use to prevent and treat dental caries for under-resourced populations without access to conventional high-cost dental care?

The report’s Section 6 describes many exciting advances in biology, biomimetic dental materials, and technology. Rapid advances in salivary diagnostics are providing information about early, abnormal changes in remote organ systems in the body. Advanced imaging techniques and artificial intelligence can be used for early diagnosis of oral lesions before they are visible to the human eye. The validity and accuracy of these techniques need careful evaluation. Can these earlier clinical end points be used to shorten the length of expensive clinical trials? Guide new preventive strategies? At what point do providers intervene with early preventive or therapeutic strategies instead of letting the body heal itself?

Will populations at greatest risk for disease and the greatest barriers to accessing dental care be able to benefit from early intervention? Every intervention has a cost. If access to new prevention and therapeutic discoveries is not equitable, will health disparities worsen? We need community engagement in the research process and the tools from many disciplines to measure and facilitate the best outcomes. The national Oral Health Progress and Equity Network’s blueprint for improving oral health for all includes 5 levers to advance oral health equity: “amplify consumer voices, advance oral health policy, integrate dental and medical [care], emphasize prevention and bring care to the people” (10).

Who will analyze all these data mined from many micro and macro sources, and who will interpret the data? Health learning systems and complex software algorithms are being developed to provide automated diagnostic information. Data analysts with knowledge of these and other sophisticated tools and modeling approaches are needed.

The dental, oral, and craniofacial research and practice communities increasingly need to be part of interdisciplinary research and educational programs with opportunities for collaboration and learning. Federally qualified health centers and look-alikes are good sites for medical–dental integration, but many of these facilities do not provide dental care.

More positions are needed for dental public health specialists who can lead advocacy efforts, interdisciplinary teams of researchers, clinicians, and community partners and conduct research. For example, the new Dental Public Health Research Fellowship at the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research will provide more intensive research training to further advance dental public health and population-based research. Mechanisms are needed to promote, facilitate, and reward sharing of research and training resources across disciplines in our competitive environment.

Public health perspectives are an important part of interdisciplinary approaches to guide, conduct, and apply research and implement policies to improve oral health. Preventive approaches exist as do barriers to their dissemination and implementation. To prevent disease and improve population oral and overall health, systems change and policy reform are needed along with scientific advances across the research spectrum, more population-level data and analysis, and community participatory engagement. I am optimistic that the next Oral Health in America report will describe fewer inequities and more progress toward oral health for all.

This article is based on a presentation made in the webinar, Oral Health in America — Advances and Challenges: Reading the Report through a Research Lens , sponsored by the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research. The author received no financial support for this work and has no conflicts of interest to declare. The statements made are those of the author. No copyrighted materials were used in this article.

Corresponding Author: Jane A. Weintraub, DDS, MPH, R. Gary Rozier and Chester W. Douglass Distinguished Professor, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Adams School of Dentistry, Department of Pediatric and Public Health, Koury Oral Health Sciences Building, Suite 4508, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7450. Telephone: (919) 537-3240. Email: [email protected] .

Author Affiliations: 1 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Adams School of Dentistry and Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

• National Institutes of Health. Oral health in America: advances and challenges. Bethesda (MD): US Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research; 2021. Accessed February 23, 2022. https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/sites/default/files/2021-12/Oral-Health-in-America-Advances-and-Challenges.pdf
• US Department of Health and Human Services. Oral health in America: a report of the Surgeon General. Rockville (MD): US Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health; 2000. Accessed February 23, 2022. https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/sites/default/files/2017-10/hck1ocv.%40www.surgeon.fullrpt.pdf
• US Department of Health and Human Services. All of Us Research Hub Research Projects Directory. Updated 2/23/2022. Accessed February 23, 2022. https://www.researchallofus.org/research-projects-directory/?searchBy=workspaceNameLike&directorySearch=oral
• Jeffcoat MK, Jeffcoat RL, Gladowski PA, Bramson JB, Blum JJ. Impact of periodontal therapy on general health: evidence from insurance data for five systemic conditions. Am J Prev Med 2014;47(2):166–74. CrossRef PubMed
• Baeza M, Morales A, Cisterna C, Cavalla F, Jara G, Isamitt Y, et al. Effect of periodontal treatment in patients with periodontitis and diabetes: systematic review and meta-analysis. J Appl Oral Sci 2020;28:e20190248. CrossRef PubMed
• Atchison KA, Rozier RG, Weintraub JA. Integration of oral health and primary care: communication, coordination and referral. Washington (DC): National Academy of Medicine; 2018. Accessed February 21, 2022. https://nam.edu/integration-of-oral-health-and-primary-care-communication-coordination-and-referral/
• Banava S, Reynolds J, Naavall S, Frantsve-Hawley J. Introducing the AAPHD 5-year research agenda. Presentation, National Oral Health Conference, April 12, 2022; Fort Worth, Texas.
• McNeil DW, Randall CL, Baker S, Borrelli B, Burgette JM, Gibson B, et al. Consensus statement on future directions for the behavioral and social sciences in oral health. J Dent Res 2022;101(6):619–22. CrossRef PubMed
• World Health Organization. Executive summary: the selection and use of essential medicines 2021: report of the 23rd WHO Expert Committee on the selection and use of essential medicines, virtual meeting, 21 June–2 July 2021. Geneva (CH): World Health Organization. Accessed April 9, 2022. https:// www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-MHP-HPSEML-2021.01
• Oral Health Progress and Equity Network. OPEN blueprint for structural improvement. Accessed April 22, 2022. https://openoralhealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/OPEN_FLS_BlueprintOverview_F.pdf

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Why Patients Visit Dentists - A Study in all World Health Organization Regions

Affiliations.

• 1 Department of Diagnostic and Biological Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
• 2 Department of Diagnostic and Biological Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Faculty of Medicine, Department of Prosthodontics, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
• 3 Department of Pediatric Dentistry, University Clinic of Dentistry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
• 4 Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Oral Basic & Clinical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
• 5 Section of Orthodontics, Department of Neurosciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy.
• 6 Department of Prosthetic Dentistry, University Medical Center Hamburg - Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
• 7 Faculty of Dental Medicine, Department for Prosthodontics, University Ss. Cyril and Methodius, Skopje, Macedonia.
• 8 Department of Periodontics, Care Dental College, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India.
• 9 Department of Periodontology and Community Dentistry, University of Ibadan and University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.
• 10 Faculty of Odontology, Department of Orofacial Pain and Jaw Function, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden.
• 11 Department of Prosthodontics, School of Dental Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
• 12 Faculty of Medicine, Clinic for Dentistry of Vojvodina, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia.
• 13 Faculty of Medicine, Department of Orofacial Pain, University of Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile.
• 14 Department of Prosthodontics, Showa University Dental Hospital, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan.
• 15 Division of Gerodontology, Department of Reconstructive Dentistry and Gerodontology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Division of Gerodontology and Removable Prosthodontics, University Clinics of Dental Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
• 16 Department of Child Health and Orthodontics, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
• 17 Faculty of Dental Sciences, Department of Oral Medicine and Periodontology, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
• 18 Faculty of Dentistry with Clinics, Department of Prosthodontics, University of Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
• 19 Dental School, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
• 20 Department of Stomatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
• 21 Department of Dentistry and Oral Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
• 22 Division of Pediatrics and Public Health, Division of Oral & Craniofacial Health Sciences, Adams School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
• 23 Center for Headaches, Facial Pain and TMD, Punta Pacifica Medical Center, Panama City, Panama.
• 24 Oral Health Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, IR, Iran.
• 25 Instituto Patricia Valério, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
• 26 Department of Anesthesia in Dentistry, Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry, Moscow, Russia.
• 27 Faculty of Dentistry, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan.
• 28 King's College London Dental Institute, Guy's Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
• 29 Department of Oral Medicine and Periodontology, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa.
• 30 Faculty of Dentistry of Rabat, Oral Surgery Department, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Rabat, Morocco.
• 31 Faculty of Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand; Faculty of Dentistry, National University of Singapore, National University Hospitals, Singapore, Singapore.
• 32 Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Diagnostic and Biological Sciences, Western University, Bangkok, Thailand.
• 33 Faculty of Medicine, Department of Prosthodontics, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia; Department of Prosthodontics, University Dental Clinics, University Medical Center Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
• PMID: 32921379
• PMCID: PMC7490464
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jebdp.2020.101459

Objective: The dimensions of oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) Oral Function, Orofacial Pain, Orofacial Appearance, and Psychosocial Impact are the major areas where patients are impacted by oral diseases and dental interventions. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether dental patients' reasons to visit the dentist fit the 4 OHRQoL dimensions.

Methods: Dentists (N = 1580) from 32 countries participated in a web-based survey. For their patients with current oral health problems, dentists were asked whether these problems were related to teeth, mouth, and jaws' function, pain, appearance, or psychosocial impact or whether they do not fit the aforementioned 4 categories. Dentists were also asked about their patients who intended to prevent future oral health problems. For both patient groups, the proportions of oral health problems falling into the 4 OHRQoL dimensions were calculated.

Results: For every 100 dental patients with current oral health problems, 96 had problems related to teeth, mouth, and jaws' function, pain, appearance, or psychosocial impact. For every 100 dental patients who wanted to prevent future oral health problems, 92 wanted to prevent problems related to these 4 OHRQoL dimensions. Both numbers increased to at least 98 of 100 patients when experts analyzed dentists' explanations of why some oral health problems would not fit the four dimension. For the remaining 2 of 100 patients, none of the dentist-provided explanations suggested evidence against the OHRQoL dimensions as the concepts that capture dental patients' suffering.

Conclusion: Oral Function, Orofacial Pain, Orofacial Appearance, and Psychosocial Impact capture dental patients' oral health problems worldwide. These 4 OHRQoL dimensions offer a psychometrically sound and practical framework for patient care and research, identifying what is important to dental patients.

Keywords: Dentistry; Oral health; Problem-oriented medical records; Quality of life; Surveys and questionnaires; WHO.

Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations of interest:

Countries participating in the study…

Countries participating in the study (N=32, in blue) from six World Health Organization…

Number [out of 10] of…

Number [out of 10] of dental patients per dental practice with a current…

Eleven proportion brackets of patients…

Eleven proportion brackets of patients intending to prevent a future 4D problem among…

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Dental Public Health

Explore this course:.

Applications for 2024 entry closed at 5pm on Friday 6 September. Applications for 2025 entry open on Monday 16 September.

School of Clinical Dentistry, Faculty of Health

Course description

This course explains how oral health can be promoted and protected across society. You will learn how dental public health services are planned, delivered and managed, and how to find practical solutions to public health challenges.

You will study key concepts in public health, such as how environments and lifestyles can contribute to disease, and social attitudes towards health. You will also focus on specific topics in dentistry, including the epidemiology of oral diseases, strategies for promoting good oral health, and how to design a population’s dental services. 

Examples from around the world will help you to understand how dental public health interventions work in practice. You will cover the economics of delivering public health services, the statistical techniques that are used to measure their impact, and policy issues such as affordable healthcare and social inequality.

The biggest part of the degree will be your dissertation project, where you will examine the latest research on a topic in dental public health, and consider the impact these findings could have on dental services or oral health.

David Locker Scholarships

The Professor David Locker Scholarship is a £7,500 scholarship for students with a social science or dentistry background who come to Sheffield to study for a Masters in Dental Public Health. 

Find out if you're eligible

Do you have a question? Talk to us

Book a 15-minute online meeting with our course leader to find out more information and ask further questions.

Book an appointment with Dr Alison Patrick

Accreditation

This course is accredited by the Royal College of Surgeons and recognised as excellent preparation for the internationally recognised Royal College of Surgeons Diploma in Dental Public Health.

An open day gives you the best opportunity to hear first-hand from our current students and staff about our courses.

You may also be able to pre-book a department/school visit as part of a campus tour. Open days and campus tours

• 1 year full-time
• 2 years part-time

You will learn through lectures, small group work and independent study.

You will be assessed through exams, coursework and a dissertation.

Your career

This course is great preparation for a PhD and a career in dental public health research. Lots of University of Sheffield graduates work as researchers at top universities and research institutes.

You could also go on to an international role advising NGOs on how to deliver their oral health programmes more effectively, and how to support individual nations.

Student profiles

I’d recommend Sheffield for those considering doing a masters in Dental Public Health

Anna qualified with her Bachelor of Dental Surgery from King’s College London in 2019 and has an intercalated BSc in Psychology. She began studying her master’s in Dental Public Health as part of her specialty training in dental public health.

Entry requirements

Minimum 2:1 undergraduate honours degree in a health-related subject.

Overall IELTS score of 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each component, or equivalent.

If you're an international student who does not meet the entry requirements for this course, you have the opportunity to apply for a pre-masters programme in Science and Engineering at the University of Sheffield International College . This course is designed to develop your English language and academic skills. Upon successful completion, you can progress to degree level study at the University of Sheffield.

If you have any questions about entry requirements, please contact the school/department .

Fees and funding

There are scholarships available of £7,500 each for students with a background in social science and/or dentistry who are seeking to register for this course.

Learn more about the David Locker Scholarship

Applications for 2024 entry closed at 5pm on Friday 6 September. Applications for 2025 open on Monday 16 September.

More information

School of Clinical Dentistry

[email protected] +44 114 215 9318 or +44 114 215 9319

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2 Preventive and community dentistry

• Published: July 2020
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This chapter outlines caries development, progression, and prevention as well as the role of saliva in neutralizing harmful acids in the oral environment. The action of fluoride is also discussed including appropriate doses, supplementation, professional application, and toxicity. Evidence for the role of sugar in dental caries is then described. This chapter has an emphasis on preventative dentistry including the use of fissure sealants in varying age groups, going on to highlight the importance of diet assessment and modification in high caries-risk patients. The chapter also discusses dentistry for people with disabilities and has a section on different types of dental care professionals.

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• Bibliography
• More Referencing guides Blog Automated transliteration Relevant bibliographies by topics
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Oasis Dental Library

One of the largest libraries of free dental books, journals and videos

Textbook of Preventive and Community Dentistry, 3rd Edition

Joseph John

Description:

“ Textbook of| Public Health Dentistry | The subject of preventive and community dentistry | public health dentistry | has Preventive and become an important component of dental education and training today. Keeping pace with the evolving technologies, and acknowledging the dynamicity of the subject, the third edition of textbook has been conceptualized to make learning easy for undergraduate students. The text has been completely reorganized and edited by experts from around the globe. The entire syllabus is divided into seven sections covering:

• Public Health, •Epidemiology, •Infection Control, •Dental Public Health, •Preventive Community “

Salient Features :

• The user-friendly format of presentation
• A clear written narrative style 
• Over 200 illustrations
• High value multiple choice questions( MCQs )
• Updates on recent advances in preventive dentistry
• Basic tenets of biostatistics and research methodology to enable students to become familiar with the art of using research methods and techniques
• Ready reckoner for both undergraduate and postgraduate students.

ISBN: 978-9386217936

Published Date : 2017

Page Count: 1370  , File Size: 10 Mb

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