Dental health literacy and California's clarion call.
Demographic changes in California require a multicultural paradigm shift in oral health care. The shift encompasses attention to health literacy in all forms of communication: signage, oral and written communication, consent forms, postop instructions, and patient education materials. California dentists may find it necessary to adapt their practices to reflect community demographics and health literacy needs. This article provides a toolbox of recommendations to address these needs.
Division of Behavioral Sciences and Community Dental Education, University of California, San Francisco, School of Dentistry, Calif. 94143, USA.
Linda
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Centore
D000328:Adult; D002140:California; D003142:Communication; D032882:Comprehension; D032962:Consent Forms; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D003729:Dental Care; D003812:Dentist-Patient Relations; D004522:Educational Status; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D057220:Health Literacy; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D008913:Minority Groups; D054525:Minority Health; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009909:Oral Health; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011215:Practice Management, Dental; D011331:Private Practice; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations