HJAR Nov/Dec 2022

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS I  NOV / DEC 2022 49 The U.S. Department of Labor reports that women make 80% of the healthcare deci- sions in the U.S. 8 The Delta Dental of Arkan- sas study found that mothers struggle with guilt, since they are not going to the dentist themselves, but they are making sure their children receive care. It’s important to these mothers that they set a good example and are a role model for their children. Another group admits their loved ones are pushing them to get dental care, and they have been experiencing guilt since they have not gone to the dentist for a long time. One group stated they know they have neglected their oral health and are worried about the state of their dentition but worry about being judged and berated by the dental team. Of all the reasons to not seek dental care, the fear of being judged or criticized is the saddest. Healthcare providers should not only adhere to their ethical principles, but also, it’s their duty to treat in the best inter- est of their patients. The very foundation of the patient-provider relationship is that the patient seeking care and asking advice should have confidence and trust that the doctor will treat them in their best interest. The patient has no alternative but to go to a skilled and experienced professional, there- fore relying on the credentialed healthcare provider. This fact in itself makes the rela- tionship uneven. Judging or making patients feel belittled due to neglectful habits should not be in the formula, as this destroys the patient-provider relationship. 9 Non-discriminatory healthcare is one of the foundational principles of human rights patient care. It is rooted in the International Human Rights law, which the United Na- tions Charter articulates and references “the dignity and worth of a person.” 10 Lastly, pa- tients already know the neglect is entirely their fault, and blaming them or calling it out in a scolding or critical manner makes people want to retreat, not listen carefully Niki Carter, DMD, MPH Dental Director Delta Dental of Arkansas hear from their medical providers. This col- laborative and unified message from both medical and dental professionals is key in establishing the association between oral health and overall health. n REFERENCES 1 American Dental Association. “The dental care market.” Accessed October 2022. https:// www.ada.org/resources/research/health-policy- institute/dental-care-market#:~:text=Top%20 reasons%20adults%20cite%20for,not%20 visiting%20a%20dentist%20vary. 2 Sischo, L.; Broder, H.L. “Oral Health-related Quality Of Life: What, Why, How, and Fu- ture Implications.” Journal of Dental Research 90, no. 11 (November 2011): 1264-70. doi: 10.1177 /0022034511399918 3 Baiju, R.M.; Peter, E.; Varghese, N.O.; Sivaram, R. “Oral Health and Quality of Life: Current Concepts.” Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research 11, no. 6 (June 2017): ZE21-ZE26. doi: 10.7860/JCDR/2017/25866.10110 4 Minja, I.K.; and Kahabuka, F.K. “Dental Anxiety and Its Consequences to Oral Health Care Atten- dance and Delivery.” Anxiety Disorders - From Childhood to Adulthood (Feb. 27, 2019). 5 Beaton, L.; Freeman, R.; Humphris, G. “Why are people afraid of the dentist?” Observations and explanations. Medical Principles and Practice: International Journal of the Kuwait University, Health Sciences Centre 23, no. 4 (2014): 295-301. doi: 10.1159/000357223 6 Smile Generation. “Dental Fear; Why You Have it and How to Erase the Fear.” May 11, 2022. https:// www.smilegeneration.com/blog/ask-a-dentist/ dental-phobia-and-dental-anxiety-explained/ 7 Delta Dental of Arkansas Internal Research July 2022 8 Wentz-Graff, K. “Women responsible for most health decisions in the home.” Oregon Health & Science University (May 11, 2017). https://news. ohsu.edu/2017/05/11/women-responsible-for- most-health-decisions-in-the-home 9 Olejarczyk, J.P.; Young, M. “Patient Rights and Ethics.” StatPearls [Internet] (last updated June 15, 2022). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/ NBK538279/ 10 Peled-Raz, M. “Human rights in patient care and public health—a common ground.” Public Health Review 38 (2017): 29. doi: 10.1186/s40985-017- 0075-2 11 Calladine, H.; Currie, C.C.; Penlington, C. “A sur- vey of patients' concerns about visiting the den- tist and how dentists can help.” Journal of Oral Rehabilitation 49, no. 4 (April 2022): 414-421. doi: 10.1111/joor.13305 12 Kui, A.; Popescu, C.; Labune, A.; et al. “Is Tele- dentistry a Method for Optimizing Dental Prac- tice, Even in the Post-Pandemic Period? An Integrative Review.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19, no. 13 (June 22, 2022): 7609. doi: 10.3390/ ijerph19137609 in an engaging manner. 11 Reassurance and placing patients at ease is key in healthcare provider behavior, as it is the way to educate and inform patients of their current state of health. For patients who are fearful, worried, or cannot bear the thought of taking the first step toward correcting their oral health sta- tus, the good news is there are some excel- lent dentists who can assist them in over- coming this issue. Sedation dentistry comes in many forms, ranging from nitrous oxide, a minimal seda- tion that enables you to drive after receiving it, to moderate and general sedation. The use of distraction is also effective, such as wearing earphones and listening to music to block the various dental sounds. Many offices have TV screens in the treatment rooms, so patients can watch a show while receiving treatment, taking their mind off the procedure. Teledentistry is another option to ease patient concerns. This type of visit is vir- tual, whether it involves communicating oral health issues and questions or show- ing an intraoral problemby way of a camera. These types of visits were popular during the height of the pandemic since offices were shut down. Patients would use their smart- phones to discuss problems and show the dentist a specific issue. 12 If a patient’s den- tal anxiety is high, teledentistry might be a good option if the dental office offers this type of visit. Of course, to receive any den- tal treatment, one must go in physically to the dental office, but an initial teledentistry visit could ease anxiety by relaying valuable information. Dental neglect and dental phobia result- ing in patients not keeping their regular dental visits are costly on many levels. Re- minding patients that it is impossible to have good overall health without good oral health is important information patients need to