By Dr. Joseph D. Lim and Dr. Kenneth Lester Lim, BS-MMG, DDM, MSc-OI
ORAL health care should be integrated with medical health care.
That’s the conclusion of a new report, “Oral Health in America: Implications for Dental Practice”. The report, published online May 25, will appear in the July issue of The Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA).
It is based on a larger report by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research and National Institutes of Health: “Oral Health in America: Advances and Challenges”.
The JADA article is authored by senior investigator Jeffrey L. Fellows, Ph.D., of the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research in Portland, Oregon, and four others from the University of California, Los Angeles; University of the Pacific; University of Maryland; and Delta Dental of Iowa.
The report provides a sweeping assessment of changes in the state of oral health in the more than 20 years since the U.S. Surgeon General reported on oral health in 2000.
The report highlights that oral health is an integral part of overall health and the work of dentists in leading scientific advancements and clinical treatments help improve patient health.
“We still have more work to do,” said Dr. Cesar R. Sabates, D.D.S., President of the American Dental Association (ADA).
Poor oral health reduces the economic productivity of American society by limiting participation in the workforce and increasing health care costs, the report observes.
While access to care has increased for children and young adults, considerable work remains to meet the oral health care needs of all people equitably.
“Many low-income and minority adults lack dental insurance, and as a consequence seek care only for emergency needs,” the report says.
Data from 2001 to 2020 show the number of people obtaining oral health care services at government-qualified health centers increased from 1.4 million to 5.2 million people.
In 2017, one-third of these patients were younger than 18 years old. Of these patients, 88.5 percent were beneficiaries of Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
The report notes that in addition to improving oral health care delivery in the U.S., the dental profession should act to shape the future of oral health, including making the case that oral care is an essential health care service.
“It is clear that the dental safety net has expanded in this country, but that expansion has not helped everyone in need,” the authors wrote.
The Oral Health in America report focuses on three key strategies to improve oral health care in the US:
• Making dental care services an essential benefit for both private and public insurance;
• Incorporating dental or oral health care services demand into workforce planning; and
• Increasing integration of oral and medical care delivery.
The ADA challenge to all health care professionals and health policymakers: raise awareness of the importance of oral disease prevention and to advocate for health care policies that will improve oral health care in the U.S. as equitably as possible, Dr. Sabates said.
While the report is made in the American context, we mention it because there is a lesson to be learned here for all dentists and policymakers everywhere.
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Dr. Joseph D. Lim, Ed. D., is the former Associate Dean of the College of Dentistry, University of the East; former Dean, College of Dentistry, National University; Past President and Honorary Fellow of the Asian Oral Implant Academy; Honorary Fellow of the Japan College of Oral Implantologists; Honorary Life Member of the Thai Association of Dental Implantology; and Founding Chairman of the Philippine College of Oral Implantologists. For questions on dental health, e-mail jdlim2008@gmail.com or text 0917-8591515.
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Dr. Kenneth Lester Lim, BS-MMG, DDM, MSc-OI, graduated Doctor of Dental Medicine, University of the Philippines, College of Dentistry, Manila, 2011; Bachelor of Science in Marketing Management, De la Salle University, Manila, 2002; and Master of Science (MSc.) in Oral Implantology, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany, 2019. He is an Associate Professor; Fellow, International Congress of Oral Implantologists; Member, American Academy of Implant Dentistry and Fellow, Philippine College of Oral Implantologists. For questions on dental health, e-mail limdentalcenter@gmail.com./PN
