Introduction

What is oral health? According to the FDI (Fédération Dentaire Internationale) World Dental Foundation:

The FDI's definition of oral health

Source: Oral Health in America, 2021

Pause and ponder: how do you think access to care and oral health metrics in our country have changed over the last 20 years? How do insurance type, age, geographic location, and level of education intersect? Can you think of any public health policies or initiatives that have had broad impacts on oral health of people in the U.S?

Read page 7-14 "Effects of Oral Health on the Overall Well-Being of Individuals, Communities, and the Economy and Oral Health Across the Lifespan" (all age groups) and page 17-18 "Section 5: Pain, Mental Health, Substance Use, and Oral Health" of the executive summary of Oral Health in America: Advances and Challenges Executive Summary (NIH, 2021).

Now complete the Smiles for Life learning module “The Relationship of Oral and Systemic Health." Access this module here (approximately 40 minutes long). You will need to complete a simple and free registration to access the module.

Venn diagram illustrating the overlap between oral and systemic health

Next, learn from Dr. Hazel Harper, DDS, MPH, FACD, Past President of National Dental Association, in the video Addressing Oral Health Inequities that Promote Health Disparities (22 minutes long).

Screenshot from webinar with powerpoint slide and Dr. Harper in the upper right corner

Supplemental Resources

Complete other Smiles for Life modules (options include Child Oral Health, Pregnancy and Women's Oral Health, Silver Diamine Fluoride, and more)

Provider Training Fluoride Varnish 3-minute video

Dental Steps for ME oral health video library for doctors with young patients

Teeth Wisdom oral health resources for professionals (for older patients)

Oral Health in America: Advances and Challenges (NIH, 2021)

Alaska Dental Therapy Educational Program and its spread to parts of WWAMI

Kranz AM, Goff SL, Dick AW, Whaley C, Geissler KH. Delivery of fluoride varnish during pediatric medical visits by rurality. J Public Health Dent. 2022 Jun;82(3):271-279. doi: 10.1111/jphd.12518. Epub 2022 Apr 3. PMID: 35373350; PMCID: PMC9444872. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9444872/

Newsome, Melba. KFF Health News. As Bans Spread, Fluoride in Drinking Water Divides Communities Across the US. 12 April 2024.

Stringer, Kate. UW School of Public Health. Donald Chi and Yup’ik communities partner to improve oral health of Alaska Native children. 7 December 2023.

For patients

Teeth Wisdom oral health resources for older patients and caregivers