University-based initiatives towards better access to oral health care for rural and remote populations: A scoping review

Abstract

This scoping review maps a wide array of literature to identify academic programs that have been developed to enhance oral health care for rural and remote populations and to provide an overview of their outcomes. Arksey and O’Malley’s 5-stage scoping review framework has steered this review. We conducted a literature search with defined eligibility criteria through electronic databases, websites of academic records, professional and rural oral health care organizations as well as grey literature spanning the time interval from the late 1960s to May 2017. The charted data was classified, analyzed and reported using a thematic approach. A total of 72 citations (67 publications and seven websites) were selected for the final review. The review identified 62 universities with program initiatives towards improving access to oral health care in rural and remote communities. These initiatives were classified into three categories: training and education of dental and allied health students and professionals, education and training of rural and remote community members and oral health care services. The programs were successful in terms of dental students’ positive perception about rural practice and their enhanced competencies, students’ increased adoption of rural practices, non-dental health care providers’ improved oral health knowledge and self-efficacy, rural oral health and oral health services’ improvement, as well as cost-effectiveness compared to other strategies. The results of our review suggest that these innovative programs were effective in improving access to oral health care in rural and remote regions and may serve as models for other academic institutions that have not yet implemented such programs.

Bases para la estructuración de un modelo en salud rural en Arauca

“…Del mismo modo, la salud bucal hace parte de este desafío en zonas rurales y remotas, considerando que no solo es necesario el talento humano, sino también equipos e instrumentos que ayuden con el trabajo. Shrivastava et al (32) presentan datos de efectividad del trabajo de universidades e instituciones que permiten o tienen dentro de sus programas el contacto de los estudiantes de odontología con la práctica de su profesión en áreas rurales; a su vez, contextualizan que las clínicas móviles, los campamentos dentales y los programas de extensión dental mejoraron el acceso a personas que viven en zonas rurales, disminuyendo las brechas creadas entre las necesidades dentales reales de los residentes rurales y la demanda de la atención en salud dental. En Alaska, esto se hace a través del fortalecimiento de auxiliares rigurosamente entrenados para prestar servicios de salud oral a comunidades indígenas (33).…”

Positive impacts of oral health services provision by a student‐led primary care clinic to an Australian rural indigenous community

“…2,7 While substantial ongoing financial support is necessary to sustain this partnership model of care, the study's positive findings can inform translation of this successful model to other health practitioner training programmes, with likely further advantageous health care outcomes.List of item codes included in the analysis and the groupings used to present the results.…”

“…1 Strong partnerships between universities and rural and remote health care providers to develop customized student outplacements can address oral health disparities by enhancing oral health care and improving access. 2 Development and sustained provision of such outplacements require considerable economic and logistical support. 3 Long-term sustainability of dental rural clinical outplacement programmes hinges on demonstrating their positive overall benefits.…”

“…Clinical outplacement experience enhances dental education by exposing students to clinical operations and practice responsibilities in an authentic workplace and enabling their better understanding of ethics and dental public health principles 1 . Strong partnerships between universities and rural and remote health care providers to develop customized student outplacements can address oral health disparities by enhancing oral health care and improving access 2 . Development and sustained provision of such outplacements require considerable economic and logistical support 3 …”

Oral hygiene awareness among the adult rural population of district Rewari: a cross-sectional study

“…Good oral health comprises the healthy state of mouth with a disease-free oral cavity and its surrounding structure. 1 India is the 2 nd most populous country in the world, with an 833.1 million rural population. 2 There are many challenges in delivering oral healthcare services to the rural population, because of poor accessibility and handiness of manpower, poverty, and illiteracy.…”