The oral health conditions of the homeless in downtown Los Angeles.
The aim of this study is to evaluate a community health project serving the homeless and to assess their oral health. Clinical charts of 1,088 patients were evaluated. The prevalence of untreated caries was 58 percent among adults with a mean of 6.3 decayed teeth. Homeless individuals are in great need of restorative, surgical, and periodontal dental procedures. Community health projects are important in assessing and improving the oral health of the underserved homeless population.
Division of Pediatric Dentistry and Dental Public Health, University of Southern California, School of Dentistry, Los Angeles 90089, USA.
Hazem
H
Seirawan
Laura Kathleen
LK
Elizondo
Niel
N
Nathason
Roseann
R
Mulligan
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D003729:Dental Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003788:Dental Pulp Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015141:Los Angeles / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D008921:Religious Missions; D012575:Schools, Dental; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D055815:Young Adult