Abstract
Purpose: Certified Public Health Dental Hygienists (CPHDH) perform traditional dental hygiene scope of practice duties, along with caries stabilization (interim therapeutic restorations) through collaborative agreements with a dentist, in the state of New Hampshire. The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the oral health status, dental needs, including referral and utilization, and satisfaction of care received by homebound individuals in their place of residence when provided by a CPHDH.
Methods: A purposive sample of homebound individuals participated in a mixed methods study that included quantitative data from an intake survey, a retrospective chart review, and qualitative in-depth interviews.
Results: Study participants (n=15) had an average of 22.4 natural teeth; 44% of participants had not seen a dentist for two or more years. Forty-three percent of participants required a referral to a dentist due to dental needs beyond the scope of the CPHDH. Themes from the interviews included: difficulty in accessing a traditional dental care delivery model despite a high value placed on oral health and a high need for dental care. In general, participants expressed satisfaction with care received by the CPHDH.
Conclusion: Participants reported a positive experience and satisfaction with care received from a CPHDH suggesting that this is a viable approach to provide preventive oral health services and caries stabilization to populations with complex access to care challenges.
- homebound patients
- vulnerable populations
- access to care
- direct access dental hygienist
- caries stabilization
- silver diamine fluoride
- interim therapeutic restoreations
Footnotes
Patricia Crete, RDH, MS is a member of the clinical faculty at New Hampshire Technical Institute, Concord, NH; Joan Fitzgerald, CPHDH, BS is the clinical director, OralHealthcare@Home, Manchester, NH; Linda D. Boyd, RDH, RD, EdD is a professor and dean; Lisa LaSpina, RDH, MS is an assistant professor; both at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences University, Forsyth School of Dental Hygiene, Boston, MA
This manuscript supports the NDHRA priority area: Population level: Access to care (vulnerable populations).
- Received January 4, 2018.
- Accepted July 21, 2018.
- Copyright © 2018 The American Dental Hygienists’ Association