Providing high quality preventive clinical care to all people is essential.

However this might not be enough to actually improve oral health.  Many papers and committees refer to the impact of the “social determinants of health” on oral health, beyond the notion of “behavioural change”.

While it is not within the scope of most dental people to change the many determinants such as employment, socioeconomic factors, living and environmental conditions, there are programs based in the community that can help reduce dental disease.

More to come soon…….