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Explorations of Safety-Net Dental Practice Models

Abstract

Purpose: The objective of this study is to explore the infrastructure of safety-net dental care delivery in Alameda County to determine if it constitutes a sustainable, comprehensive system to provide dental care for the underserved pediatric population in the county. The study also aimed to determine how current policies hinder or help to sustain existing models.

Methods: The study utilized mixed methods including a literature review, background research of existing programs, and an evaluation of current policies. Ten program directors encompassing fifteen safety net dental care delivery models were interviewed followed by a quantitative and qualitative analyzes of the data.

Results: The evaluation reveals that safety-net dental care delivery in Alameda County has the attributes of a system but the system is not ideal. Gaps identified within the system include poor program communication and integration; lack of an organized and sustainable school-based program; inadequate focus regarding prevention of dental disease; inadequate access to specialty care; lack of quality analysis of the system; and lack of policies that adequately support the safety-net dental care delivery for the pediatric populations.

Conclusions: Addressing the identified gaps within the Alameda County safety- net dental care delivery system will improve the delivery of and access to dental care for the underserved pediatric populations. In the era of health care reform, it is critical that the dental profession evaluate the oral healthcare delivery models in place to ensure that systems are adequately and efficiently providing comprehensive, quality dental care.

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