News and Views

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Dental providers play a key role in improving overall health equity

Wednesday, March 16, 2022 | Posted in GEHA Connection Dental Network News

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Social determinants of health, or SDoH, have long been defined as “environmental factors that affect physical and mental well-being.” These may include economic security, healthy housing, availability of nutrient-dense food, opportunities for exercise and efforts to provide social security for all.
Disparities among any of these factors can create an increase of oral health diseases among the marginalized groups, leading to oral health inequities.
The federal initiative Healthy People 2030 focuses on five areas to help stabilize this inequality of health. When restructured in favorable ways, all these areas of focus can contribute to better oral health and lead to improved oral health trajectories.
They are:

• Economic stability. Based on economic and social factors, some groups experience more disease and more barriers to care than the general population, but these inequities in oral health are reversible.
• Education access and quality. School systems play an important role in educating youth and their families on the importance of regular dental screenings and cleanings.
• Social and community context. Good oral health supports overall health and well-being of individuals, families, communities and the nation.
• Health care access and quality. Lack of access to regular dental care can result in ineffective and expensive overuse of the ER.
• Neighborhood and built environment. Where you reside impacts your health. Aspects of neighborhoods such as walkabililty, access to recreational areas, cultural and educational institutions, and the affects of pollution and traffic impact overall health.

Several of the Healthy People 2030 initiatives play an important role in oral health, including reducing untreated dental disease, increasing water fluoridation, expanding access to dental insurance, improving access to care and enhancing the public health infrastructure. Paying attention to the importance of these SDoH can lead to improved policy and research that boosts oral health equity for everyone.

Source:
“2020 Surgeon General’s Report: Oral Health in America: Advances and Challenges.” , National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, 21 June, 2019.