Week #8 discussion

For this week’s discussion, develop a case study relating to programs in community dental health. The focus of these cases should be integration of knowledge that you have gained throughout the program. Developing cases will help with interpreting and assessing cases on the national board examination.

Please complete the following for full-credit for this week’s discussion assignment:

1) Choose a topic to focus your case on

2) Develop a case that integrates at least 3 related areas of dental hygiene either in the case or the developed questions. Examples of these can be administration of dental indices, identification of target populations, addresses cultural diversity, development of a fluoride varnish program, oral hygiene education program development, oral health screening protocols, oral cancer screening administration etc.

3) Post your case and include at least 3 questions relating to your case.

4) Respond to at least one of your classmates with answers to their questions

5) Reply back to those who have answered your questions with positive feedback or assistance in finding the correct answer.

EXAMPLE:

Maine was thriving, with fishing, lumber, pulp and paper, textiles, and shipbuilding driving the economy. In 1918, as the Spanish flu pandemic took its toll on Portland’s population of 30,000, and the number of orphaned children in need of shelter dipped into the thousands and healthcare costs increased amid scarce resources. That year, a committee of dedicated women collaborated with the Red Cross to establish a free children’s dental clinic in Portland’s Old Port. Over the course of the next year, a team of dentists, dental hygienists and dental assistants volunteered their time to collect donations from dental and medical supply vendors and donated office space from a local dentist. They would perform basic screenings due to PPE and supply limitations and those who were identified with sever dental conditions would be treated. They worked to assess the oral health needs through dental indices and provide treatment based on this data.

1) What is the target population of this case?

2) Is Portland, Maine’s water supply fluoridated? And if so, what fluoride products would you recommend to your target audience who has a caries risk? If not, what fluoride products would you recommend?

3) What would be a good dental index to use to collect caries rate data on your population?