The purpose of this research was to prove that the School-Based Dental Sealant program could improve access to Preventive Dental Service. The authors investigated 8145 students in Framingham, Massachusetts which was considered representative of the 66190 residents living in west/ southwest of Boston. The study began after applying oral survey to all first and second-grade students in Framingham from 2000 to 2009. In this period of time, all students were screened for the number of teeth filled, number of teeth with untreated decay, number of teeth extracted, existing sealants on the first molar, and identification of first molars in need of sealant. And then the dental officials applied sealant to the molars of those students who had high potential of developing carries.
Although students were identified and informed of the dental care they needed, just 29% of students in 2003 were willing to receive sealants. In 2004, just 26% of the students were willing to receive sealants resulting in 52% of students having tooth decay. Over the six-year period, the dental hygienists and nurses of Boston schools applied sealant and gave them 20 to 25 minutes of oral
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The effectiveness of preventive education is moderated by the patient's beliefs and cultural and social norms. In my home country, in the villages, it is the custom that people expect to lose their teeth by the time they are old, so it takes a lot of persuasion to get them to believe they can keep their teeth if they take care of them. Understanding different cultures increases the dental hygienist's competency and trustworthiness. It is worthwhile being part of the diversity class. Thus, during the time I study in the dental hygiene program I will have a chance to learn more about cultural differences in order to improve my communication
Culture is defined as specific set of social, educational, religious, and professional behaviours, practices, or values that individuals learn and adhere to daily, including communication styles, customs, dress, cultural beliefs, and societal rules ( Dimensions of Dental Hygiene, 2012). With respect to such societies with different cultural backgrounds, it is very important for dental care providers to be aware, active, and ongoing about learning cultural competency level to be able to assists clients better and understand the etiology of a client’s dental hygiene diagnosis. It also plays an important role when it comes to explaining the desired planned dental hygiene intervention to a client. Dental hygienists must keep in mind the cultural beliefs that specific clients may have and thus, use it as an education tool when explaining the importance of any dental treatment to a client, that way the client will understand and accept the
A dental hygienist is much more than just someone who cleans teeth. They are well rounded, educated professionals who are knowledgeable of many aspects of the dental and medical field. They are experts in dental anatomy, periodontal disease, related aspects of pharmacology, nutrition and even medical emergencies. As hygienists, we see a number of patients every day varying all different ages. With the advancements in the dental field the average age of a dental patient is now increasing. These advancements are leading to patients keeping their teeth longer, therefore coming into the dental office for more
“The joy of changing a person’s life by creating a beautiful, healthy smile is one of the intangible rewards of being a dentist that cannot be measured.” Dianne Glasscoe, RDH. With that, my overall mission is to educate every patient, and help them to understand and achieve a lifetime of dental health. These purposes and philosophies are just two of the many reasons behind my pursuit for a career as a dental hygienist, and now to further my knowledge and become a dentist. Years ago, an elementary class of 15 students were selected to go on a field trip to a local dental office.
The dental hygienist is expected to respect the diverse values, beliefs, and cultures present in individuals and communities. When providing dental hygiene care, dental hygienists must support the right of the individual to have access to the necessary information and provide opportunities for dialogue to allow the individual patient to make informed care decisions without coercion (ADHA Policy Manual, 2016.) It is important for the oral health care provider to focus on the needs of the patient versus their own needs or those of the practice. It is also important that every patient be treated with the upmost respect regardless of race, color, age, gender, ethnicity, social class, disability or oral conditions. The patient must also be respectful towards the provider and dental team and what they are doing to improve the patient’s oral health. This balance allows the patient and provider to both be
Amalgam dental restorations which are also known as silver fillings are the number one choice for restoring teeth. These silver fillings have been used for over a hundred years to fill in cavities where there has been tooth decay. The question many have is “what is dental amalgam?” Dental amalgam is a mixture of materials containing powdered alloy, metals and mercury. There have been some concerns, however about the safety of this mercury containing filling material. “Amalgam is in the same safety class as gold and composite fillings” (FDA) and does not pose the safety concerns as once thought. Compared to other dental materials, such as composite and glass ionomer, amalgam is the “most studied and tested.” (NCAHF) Many
As a student who has participated in a dental program at USC and is pursuing a career in dentistry, I believe it’s important to know about the importance of good oral health care. Engaging in poor habits of brushing can easily lead to periodontal disease which has been linked to many chronic diseases such as Diabetes and Alzheimer’s. c. Thesis: By learning more about the toothbrush, you will have a better understanding of the importance of good dental hygiene and the dental culture. d. Preview of Main Points: I will first discuss how the toothbrush is a central part of maintain good dental hygiene and how it represents the dental culture as a whole. 2.
Although there have been oral health care models, as well as, best practice concepts for oral health, there is still a host of barriers that prevent this problem from being minimalized. Factors including negative behaviors from both the staff and residents, dexterity, mobility, as well as a lack of dental supplies, often leave the residents or the health care personnel frustrated. Some of the factors that prevent dentists from caring for these residents is a lack of mobile equipment, lack of space, time away from their private practice, and low reimbursement rates (Dirks, 2016). The director of nursing, along with the administrator, must collaborate with dental personnel to change the culture and instill a higher value on oral health. On-site training and education must be included in oral care, along with infection control regulations. Most residents are not able to coordinate their own care and often rely on personnel at the facility for assistance. There needs to be a collaboration between dental personnel, facility staff, and the residents, to cultivate oral care as an integral part of health and wellness for each resident (Chaves,
It is important that we have this knowledge and constantly build on it because there still isn’t any valid ground. We can say “we think this can happen” but as more studies come out we can change that thought or idea into a valid explanation. Although you can’t convince every person into believing something, having proof behind your explanation is going to be more persuasive than just stating what you’ve heard.
L., Walsh, M. M., (2015). Dental hygiene: Theory and practice (4th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Saunders Elsevier.
BPA in children’s dental sealants sounds crazy. Until you read the fine print and understand what the chemicals are that are in the sealants themselves. Chemicals like bis-GMA and bis-DMA don’t sound so bad however when you look a little deeper you find that they are made with BPA. This article is going to explain what BPA is and how it is tested for within the human body. What the side effects may be and if there are any alternatives to BPA containing
According to the World Health Organization, “Worldwide, 60-90% of school children and nearly 100% of adults have dental cavities.”
With fondness, I will always remember when I first began to consider dentistry as a future profession. My childhood mentor Dr. Spigner was having a weekend workshop for his patients, at this moment, I was exposed to dental education at its full capacity. While there we learned how to properly brush and floss our teeth, the benefits of tooth hygiene, and how fillings are applied to adolescent teeth. After learning these helpful tips, I wanted to share my newfound information about the importance of
Dental Hygiene is very important to me and has been since I was a child, this has influenced my desire of becoming a pediatric dentist. In a personal interview i conducted with Dr.Bills she informed me of this, “Dental Hygiene is emphasized by all dentists, we want our patients to have elegant white teeth and pleasant breath”(Bills). I would like to teach children the importance of keeping their teeth brushed so that they will have a beautiful smile and healthy teeth. Pediatric Dentistry is a superb fit for me because I care about dental health and I want children to know the importance as well. It is never too early for children to learn how important dental hygiene is.
Although many Americans have good oral hygiene due to fluoride and making everyday good decisions, others do not have any access at all to oral health care. Over the years, dentists have been trying to demonstrate the importance of oral care. (“Access to Dental Care”) From commercials to campaigns, dentists will continue to demonstrate to their patients as well as to the people who don't have insurance the importance of oral health care. They will teach them preventative care and some techniques on how to prevent from getting any diseases.
Access to healthcare has been considered a major reason behind many adverse health outcomes and it is attributed to be the primary reason or and intermediate factor which increases infant morbidity and mortality. [1] However, it is equally important to understand the pattern of utilization of healthcare services, when they are made available and accessible. Awareness about the available healthcare facilities and the importance of prevention over intervention is of utmost importance to support the measures taken to make access to healthcare available for all. Since October 2013, 47 states and District of Columbia physicians who have undergone a continuing medical education course are permitted by Department of Health Care Finance to provide and bill for oral health screenings and fluoride varnishes in children less than 3 years of age, as a measure to extend the preventive health force. [2] Numerous attempts made to educate the population about the importance of maintaining dental health have shown little effect, however it took one incident to make a huge difference at individual and policy level. In 2007, the death of 12-year old Deamonte driver due to a tooth infection leading to brain abscess raised a lot of questions for the existing issue of missing dental home linkage for pediatric Medicaid beneficiaries and children in general. Out of those eligible in Medicaid program for dental services, less than 20% children under age of 3 years received a dental