Consumers | Public Health

Walk the Rock

On Sunday, April 15th, the Southeastern Component sponsored, "Walk the Rock" an event to raise awareness for oral cancer and to assist in supporting the Oral Cancer Foundation. The event took place in Plymouth with dental hygienists from around the state participating. Click here to see "Walk the Rock" pictures and an article of interest at http://www.oralcancerfoundation.org/events/past_events.htm.

In the US approximately 34,000 people will be newly diagnoses with oral cancer in 2007. Oral cancer is the 6th most common cancer in males and the 14th most common cancer among women. The disease kills approximately one person every hour. Yearly oral cancer screenings are the key to early detection. For more information on oral cancer, or to make a donation to the Oral Cancer Foundation, please go to www.oralcancerfoundation.org.

Dental Hygiene…Its Not Just About Scaling Anymore

Increasing access to care through increased practice settings

The profession of dental hygiene began in public health when in 1914, the first students of Dr. Alfred C. Fones, were trained to provide oral health education and prophylaxis in school settings to “improve the mouths of the Bridgeport Public School children”. In fact, over a 10 year period these women were able to decrease the incidence of dental caries by 50% through preventive measures alone.

Today, most individuals receive dental treatment in private dental offices where dental hygienists, who work under the supervision of a dentist, are employed. Unfortunately access to dental care, both preventive and restorative, is a large problem among poor and minority populations.

The American Dental Hygienists' Association has been at the forefront of addressing access issues for the underserved and unserved for many years. To address access to care issues more states are increasing the scope of practice for dental hygienists, to break down supervisory barriers and increase practice settings. There has also been an increase in states that allow direct reimbursement of Medicaid to dental hygienists.

While other states, including Maine, support public health practice to improve access to dental care for their residents. In public health practice the dentist provides general supervision to a licensed dental hygienist, with the exception that the patient being treated is not a patient of record of the dentist providing PHS, but of the hygienist. Additionally, the dental hygienist must practice in settings other than a traditional practice, such as but not limited to public and private schools, medical facilities, nursing homes, residential care facilities, dental vans.

For a listing of other states that allow direct access to a dental hygienist, click here.

Community Water Fluoridation in Massachusetts

Currently 139 communities in Massachusetts offer the health and economic benefits of community water fluoridation to its residents. For over 60 years community water fluoridation has been proven to be the most safe, effective, cost-efficient and equitable means to reducing dental caries. The Healthy People 2010 objectives aim to increase the proportion of the U.S. population served by community water systems with optimally fluoridated water to 75%. At this time, 63% of Massachusetts residents are served by optimally fluoridated water.

In 2005, Senator Pamela Resor and Representative Kathleen Teehan, along with the Oral Health Advocacy Taskforce sponsored Senate bill 122 and House bill 2633, which would bring community water fluoridation to every city and town across the Commonwealth that has 5,000 or more residents served by a public water supply. A public hearing was held at the state house on October 27, 2005, where a panel of speakers testified in support of the bill, citing water fluoridations benefits to the residents of the Commonwealth, both young and old. At the end of the hearing, the supporters asked that the bill be placed into study; and plan to refile this legislation at the start of the next legislative session.

MDHA and ADHA support community water fluoridation with policy statement 6-04/58-82: “The American Dental Hygienists' Association supports water fluoridation as a safe and effective method for reducing the incidence of dental caries. In addition, the American Dental Hygienists' Association supports education of the public and other health professionals regarding the preventive and therapeutic benefits of fluoride”.