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Enhancing the Dental Public Health Workforce & Infrastructure
Kneka Smith, RDH, BS
February 26-27, 2004
Washington, D.C.
Dental Public Health
Is the science & art of preventing & controlling dental diseases and promoting dental health through
organized community efforts
It is that form of dental practice
which serves a community as the patient rather than the individual.
“While private dentistry fights in the trenches to deliver health care and education to individuals, public health dentistry surveys the battle field from the hill tops and tries to discern the needs of the community as a whole.”
--Bob Sare
DPH ConcernsDental health education of the
publicApplied dental researchAdministration of programsPrevention & control of dental
diseases on a community basis
Knowledge & Skills Oral Health Programs for Populations Disease Prevention & Control Strategies Ethical Standards Dental Care Delivery Systems Surveillance Systems Communication PH Policy, Legislation, Regulations Scientific Literature Conduct Studies
DPH is not just… ‘Welfare’ dentistry ‘Medicaid’ dentistry ‘Socialized’ dentistry Conducting surveys Fluoridation OSHA regulations Infection control
Quality assurance Financial support for
dental education Expanded functions
for dental auxiliaries Provider of last
resort
Community Dentistry isn’t DPH DPH isn’t Community Dentistry
Community Dentistry Focus: clinical oral health care for individual patients
Dental Public Health: oral health of groups of people
Dental Public Health Is…Concern for and activity
directed toward the improvement & protection
of the oral health for whole population.
Goal of Workshop
ObjectivesBrainstorm collaborative approaches
to address DPH workforce shortage
Develop a draft national action plan
Establish core group to facilitate follow-up on action plan
Short-term Outcome
Gain commitment from a variety of national organizations & agencies to implement an action plan to enhance the DPH workforce & infrastructure
Long-term Outcomes
Increase capacity to recruit & retain a diverse and competent DPH workforce that can help to reduce the oral health disparities in underserved populations in the US
Shared Goal
Issues to Consider:Career Opportunity in DPH
‘Pipeline’ of DPH professionals
Support of people in DPH positions Enhance skills in leading to improve the
nation’s oral health
Introductions
NameOrganization You RepresentWhere You Work
Capacity
a. Ability to perform or produce; capability.
b. The maximum or optimum amount that can be produced
Alternative:
1. The quality of being suitable for or receptive to specified treatment: the capacity of elastic to be stretched.
Infrastructure n 1: the basic framework or features of
a system or organization