Dental Public Health and Education Commons^™

A Brief Visit To Chiang Mai: Oral Public Health In Action In Northern Thailand, Arthur Cooper

College of Health Sciences Presentations

Thailand has become well-known in Asia for its innovative public health programs and has also made significant strides towards improving oral health. The Thai approach to providing accessible healthcare for all its citizens could serve as a potential model for other countries throughout Southeast Asia. Based on a 3 week visit to shadow a practicing public health dentist, I was able to gain an insight into how their universal healthcare system functions – both its successes and challenges. Brief interactions with 20 patients who were receiving oral care helped put a face to the system and provided an additional perspective …