Celebrating the Year of Oral Health: changing public expectation and challenges for the profession.
The year 1994 was designated as the Year of Oral Health by the World Health Organization. The remarkable progress in oral health achieved in the United States over the past several decades is cause for celebration; however, the gains have not been equitably distributed and many challenges remain if good oral health is to become a reality for all Americans. Members of the dental profession in general, and Fellows of the American College of Dentists in particular, have a responsibility to be aware of not only the health of our individual patients but also the oral health of the public as a whole. Many opportunities to improve dental practice on the individual and community level exist. By taking action to better meet the overall oral health needs of society, the dentist can increase professional satisfaction, improve the health of the public, and enhance the status of the dental profession.
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D003813:Dentistry / Q000639:trends*; D018166:Health Care Reform; D006291:Health Policy; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D009909:Oral Health; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology