COMMUNITY DENTISTRY

LECTURE 1

PROF. Azza Hanno(Head of Community & Pedodontic

Dentistry Dept)

Community Dentistry =Dental Public Health.

Definition:- the scientific diagnosis and treatment of community oral health problems requiring special skills and knowledge.

It focuses on preventing and controlling oral diseases and on promoting optimum oral health through organized community efforts.

Community:-

Any mass or group useful for the purpose of promoting oral health….village, town, city, country, region, school, factories and clubs.

Health:- Is a state of complete physical, mental and social well being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

Characteristics of community dentistry:-

Group responsibility.All community considered healthy and sick.Team work.Stress on prevention.Oral diseases are multi factorial.Education of the public.Planning and programming oral health care services.Legal and ethical issues in dentistry.Researches in oral health.

Objectives of the course :-

To give the dental student a better understanding of his future patient.To provide the dental student with specialized skills & knowledge……Basic knowledge on epidemiology of conditions they treat &epidemiological methods help them to evaluate the impact of their services objectively & to interpret the research findings.

To help the dental student to realize the importance of the regular maintaince care & the utilization of all practical preventive procedures.

To help the dental practitioners to recognize community health problems and to suggest sound approaches to be taken for their correction.

Essential functions of dental public health:-

Oral health assessment:-Asses Community oral health status.Analyze risk factors and determinants.Asses The available resources (human, materials.Asses The K.A.P.Asses Fluoridation status of the community.Implement an oral health surveillance system to the community.

Policy development:-Develop plans and policies concerning oral health.Provide leaderships to address oral health problems.Assurance:- Through :Preventive services.Oral screening.Health education and promotion.Quality assurance.

Differences between individual patients care &dental public health practice:-Dental public.H

practicePrivate

Goals Socially determined Coincidentally related.

Place Field practice Clinic or hospital.

Activity Surveying.

h. Education.

Preventive. activity.

Planning and evaluation.

Researches.

Treatment .

Approach Preventive . Therapeutic .

Type of care Regular or systematic On demand

Providers Team Dentist alone

Similarities between the private &dental public health practice:-

Examination / Survey:-Dentist carry careful examination.Survey determine the distribution and characteristics of a community problem.( mottled enamel ).diagnosis / Analysis ( analysis of information, computer, statistics, comparisons )Treatment planning /program:-Both patient and community has the right in their treatment and program planning

Treatment / program implementation:-Dentist may need a team action with other specialist.Health team are called upon for the performance of the program.Water fluoridation.( as an example )Payment / program funding: ( funding from the local budget )Evaluation / program appraisal: (base line data collected in the initial survey ).