Improving Access to Oral Health Care for Vulnerable and Underserved Populations
2011

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Access to oral health care is essential to promoting and maintaining overall health and well-being, yet only half of the population visits a dentist each year. Poor and minority children are less likely to have access to oral health care than are their nonpoor and nonminority peers. Older adults, people who live in rural areas, and disabled individuals, uniformly confront access barriers, regardless of their financial resources. The consequences of these disparities in access to oral health care can lead to a number of conditions including malnutrition, childhood speech problems, infections, diabetes, heart disease, and premature births.

Improving Access to Oral Health Care for Vulnerable and Underserved Populations examines the scope and consequences of inadequate access to oral health services in the United States and recommends ways to combat the economic, structural, geographic, and cultural factors that prevent access to regular, quality care. The report suggests changing funding and reimbursement for dental care; expanding the oral health work force by training doctors, nurses, and other nondental professionals to recognize risk for oral diseases; and revamping regulatory, educational, and administrative practices. It also recommends changes to incorporate oral health care into overall health care. These recommendations support the creation of a diverse workforce that is competent, compensated, and authorized to serve vulnerable and underserved populations across the life cycle.

The recommendations provided in Improving Access to Oral Health Care for Vulnerable and Underserved Populations will help direct the efforts of federal, state, and local government agencies; policy makers; health professionals in all fields; private and public health organizations; licensing and accreditation bodies; educational institutions; health care researchers; and philanthropic and advocacy organizations.

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296 pages · 6 x 9 · paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-20946-3
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-20947-1
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17226/13116

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Institute of Medicine and National Research Council. 2011. Improving Access to Oral Health Care for Vulnerable and Underserved Populations. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

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Front Matter i-xvii
Summary 1-16
1 Introduction 17-40
2 Oral Health Status and Utilization 41-82
3 The Oral Health Care Workforce 83-156
4 Settings of Oral Health Care 157-192
5 Expenditures and Financing for Oral Health Care 193-228
6 A Vision for the Delivery of Oral Health Care to Vulnerable and Underserved Populations 229-254
Appendix A: Acronyms 255-258
Appendix B: Commissioned Papers 259-260
Appendix C: Workshop Agendas 261-264
Appendix D: Summary of *Advancing Oral Health in America:* A Report of the IOM Committee on an Oral Health Initiative 265-270
Appendix E: Committee and Staff Biographies 271-279

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The Oral Health Workforce in the United States
Authors:	Margaret Langelier
	Tracey Continelli
	David Armstrong
	Jean Moore

State Case Studies: Improving Access to Dental Care for the Underserved
Authors:	Howard Bailit
	John D’Adamo
	Tryfon Beazoglou

Improving Access to Oral Health Care for Vulnerable and Underserved Populations (2011)

Chapter: Appendix B: Commissioned Papers

Additional materials

Publication information

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Lessons from Medicine: Opportunities and Constraints for Oral Disease Management
Author:	Burton L. Edelstein

My Academies

Improving Access to Oral Health Care for Vulnerable and Underserved Populations (2011)

Chapter: Appendix B: Commissioned Papers