Maryland dentists' perceptions and attitudes toward dental therapy. 2020

Anna L Davis, and Hossein Zare, and Rachael McCleary, and Oshin Kanwar, and Elliott Tolbert, and Darrell J Gaskin
Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.

To learn dentists' perceptions, attitudes, and concerns about the problems of access to oral health care for low income and rural Marylanders and to ascertain whether the dentists believe dental therapy is a viable solution. We conducted three focus group discussions of 27 dentists during August and September 2018 in three locations in urban and rural areas of Maryland. Focus group participants felt that problems with access to dental care for low income and rural Marylander were not due to a shortage of dental providers. They believed there are more than enough dentists in the state. Access problems in Maryland are due in large part to inadequate insurance coverage and low oral health literacy. With the exception of one participant, the dentists would not use dental therapists in their practices to expand access. Maryland dentists in our focus group strongly oppose the use of dental therapists to address the state's unmet oral health care needs. Any effort to expand the state's dental workforce using dental therapists must address Maryland dentists' concerns and opinions.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008396 Maryland A state bounded on the north by Pennsylvania, on the east by Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean, on the south by Virginia and West Virginia, and on the west by West Virginia.
D010465 Perception The process by which the nature and meaning of sensory stimuli are recognized and interpreted. Sensory Processing,Processing, Sensory
D003729 Dental Care The total of dental diagnostic, preventive, and restorative services provided to meet the needs of a patient (from Illustrated Dictionary of Dentistry, 1982). Care, Dental
D003815 Dentists Individuals licensed to practice DENTISTRY. Dentists, Pediatric,Dentists, Prosthetic,Dentists, Restorative,Periodontists,Prosthodontists,Dentist,Dentist, Pediatric,Dentist, Prosthetic,Dentist, Restorative,Pediatric Dentist,Pediatric Dentists,Periodontist,Prosthetic Dentist,Prosthetic Dentists,Prosthodontist,Restorative Dentist,Restorative Dentists
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001291 Attitude of Health Personnel Attitudes of personnel toward their patients, other professionals, toward the medical care system, etc. Staff Attitude,Attitude, Staff,Attitudes, Staff,Health Personnel Attitude,Health Personnel Attitudes,Staff Attitudes

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