Dental public health (DPH) is a non-clinical specialty of dentistry also known as Community Dentistry.
Dental public health is involved in the assessment of dental health needs and improving the dental health of populations rather than individuals.
One of the controversial subjects relating to dental public health is fluoridation of drinking water. Commercial mouthwashes have also been a cause for concern, with some studies linking them to an increased risk of oral cancer.
Scope of the dental public health
Major areas of dental public health activity include:
- Oral health surveillance.
- Assessing the evidence on oral health and dental interventions, programmes, and services.
- Policy and strategy development and implementation.
- Strategic leadership and collaborative working for health.
- Oral health improvement.
- Health and public protection.
- Developing and monitoring quality dental services.
- Dental public health intelligence.
- Academic dental public health.
- Role within health services.
References
Dental public health Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA