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Progress addressing access to oral health is difficult to evaluate because it is unclear what access means. Ozar's proposal that access should be defined by dentists as true dental need is criticized. It is proposed that four different types of treatment are currently identifiable in dentistry: 1) traditional oral health care, 2) oral care that has minimal or no health component, 3) episodic care, and 4) oral health outcomes not resulting from dentist interventions such as fluoridation. Each of these models has a different definition of care and of access. The profession is becoming segmented--including growing disparities among dentists in earning potential--to the point where a single model may no longer be able to cover all needs for oral health.
Chambers
David W
DW
University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, 2155 Webster Street, San Francisco, CA 94115, USA. dchambers@pacific.edu
D003729:Dental Care / Q000941:ethics* / Q000379:methods; D003815:Dentists / Q000191:economics; D004990:Ethics, Dental; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000941:ethics*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000941:ethics*; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D011215:Practice Management, Dental / Q000941:ethics*; D014481:United States