Digital Commons Network^™

The Association Between Dental Coverage And Self-Reported Health In Older Adults Jgpha, Frances M. Yang, Solon T. Kao, Jordan S. Lundeen

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: For the older population of the United States, lack of dental insurance coverage is a substantial health problem. The purpose of the present study was to examine the longitudinal relationship between dental coverage and self-reported health among older adults.

Methods: The Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a nationally representative biennial cohort study of community-dwelling individuals, includes 19,595 adults (aged 50 and older) living in the United States. For the 2010, 2012, and 2014 waves, the independent variable of dental coverage and the outcome of self-reported health were examined.

Results: At each time point, dental coverage for older adults had …

A Review Of Strategies To Increase Access To Oral Health Services, Breyanna Davis, Sara Plaspohl

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Leading Health Indicators (LHIs), a subset of objectives for Healthy People 2020, were selected to communicate at-risk health issues and actions that can be taken to address them. Nationally, the number of children, adolescents, and adults who visited the dentist in the past year has decreased, suggesting that oral health continues to be a problem caused by barriers preventing access to oral health services. This review aimed to identify strategies to increase access to oral health services that will be useful in moving toward the LHI objectives.

Methods: Preliminary research was conducted on the LHI via the Healthy People …

Dental College Of Georgia Teams Up With Richmond County Health Department To Help, Nancy Lyn Wilson, Mark Peacock, Christopher Cutler, Jamie De Stefano

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: The Central Savannah River Area remains, for many of the poor, a dental health care shortage area. Each year, from December to March, fourth-year dental students perform outreach with faculty to search the community for unmet dental needs, including dental caries and periodontal disease, the treatment of which is required for the Central Regional Dental Testing Service (CRDTS) Exam, the dental licensing examination.

Methods: Fourth year students at the Augusta University Dental College of Georgia recruit patients for free dental pre-screenings at health fairs, community centers, the Barnyard Flea Market, and the dental school. Persons with periodontitis are invited …

The Role Of The Dental College Of Georgia In Meeting The Oral Health Needs Of Georgians, Carol A. Lefebvre

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

N/A

Use Of A Teledentistry Partnership Program To Reach A Rural Pediatric Population, Tara E. Schafer, Bruce Riggs

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Teledentistry is “the practice of using video-conferencing technologies to diagnose and provide advice about treatment over a distance.” Teledentistry has been defined as “the practice of using video-conferencing technologies to diagnose and provide advice about treatment over a distance.” This report describes the partnership of two rural Georgia public health districts. Augusta University Dental College of Georgia’s Department of Pediatric Dentistry partnered with a private practice dentist in Georgia with the goal of increasing access to care.

Methods: A partnership was created that allowed dentists in a remote location to triage dental patients seen in a school-based clinic.

Results: …

Recognizing And Addressing The Oral Health Needs Of Georgia, Carole Hanes, Ketarya Hunt, Stephanie Perry

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: The intent of this report is to provide an assessment of oral health needs for Georgia and to highlight the efforts underway at the Dental College of Georgia (DCG) at Augusta University to address these needs. In underserved areas of Georgia, the burden of untreated oral disease remains high. Because of in-migration and the inadequate availability of educational programs, the population continues to grow faster than the number of health care providers.

Methods: An overview of the oral health needs in Georgia is provided, along with a review of the ongoing outreach by the DCG to address those oral …

Factors Associated With The Utilization Of Community Dental Services Among Newly Incarcerated Adults, Whitney C. Graves, Starla Hairston Blanks, Lee S. Caplan, Katherine A. Erwin, Cynthia S. Ditslear, Henrie M. Treadwell

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Given the high rates of risky behaviors and health conditions among incarcerated individuals and the relationship between oral and general health, receipt of quality dental care is essential to the overall health and well-being of this population. However, few recent studies have focused on access to care and the state of oral health among incarcerated populations in the U.S. For the current study, a secondary data analysis was conducted to: 1) assess factors associated with the use of dental services among a newly incarcerated prison population in Georgia and 2) consider barriers related to utilization of dental services pre- …

Dental Students Develop Program Addressing Geriatric Oral Health At Local Nursing Home, Nancy Lyn Wilson, Katherine Ciarrocca

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: The elderly, especially those who reside in institutions and have a minority or low-income background, often have unmet oral health needs. As life expectancy increases, so will the need for oral health providers skilled in addressing the unique challenges presented by geriatric patients.

Methods: Dentists for Della is a student organization at the Dental College of Georgia that aims to improve the oral health status of residents at the Georgia War Veterans Nursing Home (GWVNH) in Augusta, Georgia. The students conduct fundraising activities so that third and fourth year students can provide needed dental treatment at no cost to …