2020
Overview
Community dentistry and oral epidemiology encompass the study and practice of dental public health at the population level, examining patterns of oral disease distribution and implementing preventive interventions to improve community oral health outcomes. Research published in Public Health International on this topic addresses practical applications of preventive dental programs in school-based settings across international contexts. Published work has documented the implementation of fluoride and silver ion compounds as preventive agents in oral health programs serving school populations in multiple countries, examining how these evidence-based interventions can be deployed in educational settings to reach children who may have limited access to traditional dental care. This focus on school-based prevention reflects the field's emphasis on reducing oral health disparities through community-level interventions rather than individual clinical treatment alone. The topic matters because dental caries and other oral diseases remain highly prevalent globally, particularly among children in underserved populations, and community-based preventive programs offer cost-effective strategies to reduce disease burden, prevent pain and infection, and improve quality of life across entire populations rather than treating disease after it occurs.
Research published in this journal
1 peer-reviewed article, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.