Public Health Dentistry — Creating Access for the Underserved
An interview with RADM Christopher G. Halliday, Chief Dental Officer, USPHS
 Public health dentistry differs greatly from the individual patient-centric approach of private practice. Rather than focusing on individuals, public health dentistry views an entire community as a patient, and seeks to prevent and control dental diseases on a community basis through organized community efforts.
Formally recognized as a dental specialty by the American Dental Association in 1950, public health dentistry has made great strides in the decades that followed. Leading the way are the Commissioned Corps Dental Officers of the US Public Health Service (USPHS), who serve the public and underserved communities in a variety of federal agencies and programs.
In an exclusive interview with the staff of Impressions, RADM Christopher G. Halliday, DDS, MPH, Chief Dental Officer for USPHS and Director of the Indian Health Service (IHS) Division of Oral Health, discusses the challenges facing public health dentistry today and in the future. He covers topics such as access to care for underserved populations, the task of raising awareness of healthcare need in these communities, and the government’s commitment to keeping pace with current technologies in dental care delivery.
“There continues to be significant segments of underserved populations that lack regular access to dental care, and the need is increasing in these communities,” says RADM Halliday. “This is especially true of American Indian and Alaska Native populations, who have a rate of dental disease about two and a half times the national average. These communities are served by IHS, the largest employer of Commission Corps and civil service dentists among USPHS operational divisions.”
Of particular concern is the rapidly-growing pediatric and adolescent segments of the population, which experience tooth decay earlier and to a greater extent than other children in the general US population.
“While much progress has been made, we’re working toward further addressing their oral health needs without ignoring the rest of the population in underserved communities,” says RADM Halliday. “I’d like to see more emphasis on community-based and clinical-based prevention programs in this regard. Dental hygienists and dental assistants are important in this area for IHS, as they provide clinical and community-based prevention programs for all age groups.”
USPHS facilities are often the only health care services available to the underserved populations of remote rural communities and inner cities. The number of facilities and proximity to the needy population are the biggest issues. In one current effort, RADM Halliday is working with the Washington, DC Department of Health and a local inner city community health center to provide local USPHS dental officers to assist the staff in providing dental care.
He is also organizing efforts to develop public and private partnerships to raise awareness of underserved populations. This includes networking with private practitioners, community groups, organized dentistry and dental equipment and supply manufacturers to devise strategies to increase access to care in underserved communities. The American Dental Association advocates with its members to place private practice dentists as volunteers at IHS sites, for example. Similar partnerships with dental schools, universities, colleges and high schools seek to introduce public health dental careers to students – including a focus on American Indian and Alaska Native students – with the goal of drawing more dental professionals to fill the need in public health facilities. At IHS, dental assistants are most often members of the local communities, evidence of the agency's commitment to deliver healthcare in a manner that's culturally sensitive and acceptable to American Indian and Alaska Native people.
Says RADM Halliday: “We offer dental professionals the opportunity to work with populations and cultures in great need and who are appreciative of the services provided. Public health careers appeal to the altruistically-minded and deliver a sense of accomplishment and achievement from helping people in need. We strive to find the best match between our program needs and the needs of our healthcare providers.”
The challenges of keeping pace with current technologies are being met head-on by public health agencies such as IHS. The fact that many IHS dental facilities are in remote locations underscores the need for a strong commitment to technology in delivering care.
“IHS has made large financial commitments over the last several decades to update existing facilities, and to build new and modern ones planned around the latest technologies in infection control, patient care and other emerging technologies in the health field,” says RADM Halliday. “Even in remote clinics, dental professionals will be quite impressed with the modern, advanced equipment we utilize.”
IHS remote sites in Alaska, for example, often utilize telehealth/teledentistry technology to consult with oral health providers in less rural areas, and this is increasingly being integrated into remote facilities in the lower 48 states as well. All new clinics are equipped with digital imaging technology, which IHS has used for many years. Estimates of future population growth are also considered in facility planning to ensure that the hospitals and clinics can accommodate population increases in the future.
“We take a lot of pride in our ambulatory and hospital-based clinics and we make sure they’ll be well-received by our healthcare providers and community members as well.”
RADM Halliday is confident that the challenges faced by public health dentistry now and in the future will be met by the dedicated dental providers and administrators of the USPHS.
Are you ready to join the adventure? Visit www.dentist.ihs.gov for more information on dental career opportunities with Indian Health Service. You can find more information on dental careers with USPHS at www.usphs.gov/html/dentist.html.
back to top
|
Acrobat
