Project Good Oral Health

A Research Alliance

Student Research

Barriers to Dental Care among Low Income Older Adults

Demetress Davis, DDS, Resident in Endodontology

 

There are significant barriers and structural problems in our oral healthcare system limiting access to dental care for the older adults. This study proposes to investigate barriers to access to dental care for older adults of low socioeconomic status. The study will focus on perceptions about factors that prevent access to dental care among the low socioeconomic older adults that go beyond income and beliefs about oral hygiene behaviors and dentistry. People over the age of 65 residing in low income housing in Hartford will be recruited for the study. In-depth interviews will be conducted to collect qualitative data.

How Dental School Curricula can Improve Access to Care For Geriatric Populations

Naomi Levy, Dental Student

 

The purpose of this study is to assess the geriatric curriculum being implemented in dental schools in the U.S. at the pre-doctoral, post-doctoral, and continuing education levels, and to evaluate whether dentists are being adequately trained to meet the needs of the growing geriatric population. Data are being collected from US dental school websites to create three separate databases for the undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education programs. The results of this study show that most US dental schools include a geriatric component in their curriculum, however, only a few schools provide their students with clinical experience with older adults that is essential for proper training.

Building the Basis for Community Based Research with Older Adults: A Student Perspective

Chelsea Murphy, Dental Student

 

This project was a research internship experience for this study who assisted in presentations to older adult low income residences in Hartford, compiling community educational curriculum and organizing “Frequently Asked Questions” which will be the basis for the pilot study on an oral health campaign in Hartford.