Dental Public Health Programs

Dental Public Health

• It is the science and art of preventing and controlling dental diseases and promoting dental health through organized community efforts.
• It serves the community as a patient rather than the individual.

Dental Public Health Programs

• They are organized efforts to improve the oral health of the public.
• They must satisfy the criteria of:
  • Practicality
  • Feasibility
  • Acceptability
  • Safety
  • Effectiveness
  • Relatively low cost

Population versus Individual Approach

• Dental Clinician focuses on individual patient, conducts examinations, establishes diagnosis, discusses findings with patient, and develops treatment plan.
• Dental Public Health Practitioner focuses on community, implements public health survey, conducts analysis, engages community partners, and plans program.

Dental Public Health Methods

• 1. Survey: collection and use of data in public health to find out the nature and extent of the problem.
• Dental indices are important tools used in examination of population groups, e.g. DMFT, DMFS, GI, PI, CPITN.
• 2. Analysis: determines if there is a dental health problem, its extent, and appropriate solutions.
• 3. Program Planning: considers all aspects of the program to assure its success, including problems, activities, resources, and communication.
• 4. Program Operation: includes dental health education, disease prevention, and clinical services.
• 5. Program Financing: operational funding is usually provided by appropriate government agencies.
• 6. Evaluation: continually assesses the program's effect, success, and considers modifications.

Dental Public Health Areas/Fields

• 1. Epidemiological research
• 2. Primary prevention
• 3. Dental health education
• 4. Control of dental diseases
• 5. Health service research
• 6. Behavioral studies
• 7. Administration and management of health programs
• 8. Delivery and financing of dental services
• 9. Policy analysis

The Core Public Health Functions (Dental Public Health Activities)

• Assessment: monitoring the health of communities and populations at risk to identify health problems and priorities.
• Policy development
• Assurance