In this article published in BMC Oral Health, CareQuest Institute researchers examined the existing peer-reviewed literature to determine who is most often evaluated for oral health literacy (OHL), what oral health measures and interventions are utilized, and who is responsible for improving OHL and oral health outcomes.
Researchers found that OHL studies were representative of groups across the lifespan — from pregnancy to adulthood. However, studies frequently focused on only one social identity, such as being a caregiver or race/ethnicity.
The authors recommend using an OHL framework, which includes identifying multiple social identities and recognizing environmental barriers, to help improve OHL.
The responsibility for improving OHL is most often placed on medical and dental providers. The authors write:
Ultimately, the responsibility for improving OHL is multifactorial and includes participation and cooperation from patients, providers, communities, and health care systems.”
Read the article in BMC Oral Health (open access)
You may also be interested in:
- The Dental Home Is Where Good Oral Health Starts, a report investigating the relationship between having a dental home and oral health outcomes.
- Oral Hygiene Home Care Practices in America, a report emphasizing that oral health care education for patients cannot be one-size-fits-all but must be person-centered.
- Social Determinants of Health Linked with Oral Health, an article in BMC Oral Health analyzing the impact of eight structural and intermediary determinants on oral health outcomes.