title: Willingness of Rhode Island Dentists to Provide Limited Preventive Primary Care.
abstract: In response to the shortage of primary care physicians and the need for greater intercollaboration among health professionals, dentists with sufficient medical and surgical training are an untapped resource to provide limited preventive primary care (LPPC), such as chairside screening for chronic diseases. The objective of this study was to determine attitudes of Rhode Island dentists toward becoming more involved in the overall health of their patients. Using a 5-point scale (1 being highest), a pretested survey was administered to 92 respondent RI dentists who were asked to indicate their willingness to become more involved in patients' overall health, and undergo additional training to provide LPPC. Their moderate level of willingness was offset by great concern for liability, with older dentists being significantly more willing to assume these additional responsibilities than younger dentists (p< .05). Rank order of designation of oral health providers among dentist, dental physician, oral physician, odontologist, stomatologist, and stomiatrist was still dentist first, but with no significant difference between the mean ranks of dentist and oral physician.[Full article available at http://rimed.org/rimedicaljournal-2016-07.asp, free with no login].
authors.affiliation: Predoctoral Dental Student, Class of 2020, University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine.
authors.forename: Catherine Tuyet Mai
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Dang
authors.affiliation: Clinical Professor of Health Services, Policy and Practice, Brown University.
authors.forename: Renee R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Shield
authors.affiliation: Professor of Developmental Biology Emeritus, Harvard School of Dental Medicine; Clinical Professor Emeritus of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University.
authors.forename: Donald B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Giddon
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003815:Dentists / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D011314:Preventive Health Services; D011320:Primary Health Care; D024382:Professional Role; D012237:Rhode Island; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000078329:Workforce
keywords: health care delivery; oral health; oral physician; primary care; terminology