A Collaborative Assessment of Barriers to Oral Health Care

Abstract

Oral health disparities are pervasive. Interprofessional education and collaborative practice experiences may be a means to address this problem in oral healthcare settings. This project aimed to determine: (1) barriers involved in patients’ access to oral health care at an academic dental school clinic, (2) dental students’ perceived ability to address patients’ needs and/or care barriers, (3) the ability of current clinical operations’ to address access to care issues, and (4) the potential role of a licensed health care social worker integrated into the clinic. Investigators conducted three focus groups –one student group (n=5), one clinical staff group (n=7), and one clinical faculty group (n=5). Further, investigators administered two needs assessment surveys in the dental school – one with students, staff, and faculty (n=144) and the second with the school’s dental patients (n=150). Investigators employed descriptive and inferential statistical analyses to evaluate the survey data. Five principal barriers to oral health care for dental patients were identified from focus group and survey data, inclusive of patients, students, staff and faculty perspectives: (1) lack of financial means, (2) lack of/inadequate insurance, (3) limited/no transportation, (4) general health problems, and (5) language barriers. More female patients (38.7%) than male patients (8.1%) reported financial barriers to accessing oral care. Including licensed social workers in an academic dental clinic may help address patient barriers to care and support interprofessional collaborative practice.

Does Where We Live Matter To Oral Health?

“…By including basic dental screenings in general health appointments, social workers can play a pivotal role in early identification of oral health issues, promoting preventive measures, and fostering a more inclusive healthcare delivery system. This step aligns with the strengths-based, person-in-environment approaches, and policies recommended by O'Neil et al (2017), Lyons et al (2021), andAzhari (2021), empowering social workers to address disparities and contribute to the overall well-being of rural older adults.…”

“…As recommended by Lyons et al (2021), licensed social workers can be integrated into dental teams to improve access to care which would help promote better oral health outcomes. Social workers are uniquely positioned to reduce barriers to care in rural communities as they are already working closely with underserved populations (Azhari, 2021).…”