HEALTH CENTER BASICS
Overview“With more than 40 years of experience, Health Centers have evolved as a primary source of care for America’s underserved population. Their success in providing affordable, culturally competent, high quality services is well recognized. They have proven to be a valuable asset in reducing medical inefficiencies, such as overuse of emergency rooms and lowering health care costs |
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The Health Center population has an overwhelming disease burden with multiple complex treatment needs, such as extractions, restorations, and replacing missing teeth as well as periodontal infections. Since the only way to reduce the disease burden is through prevention and disease management, Health Center oral health programs must develop meaningful preventive programs. Many oral health programs have targeted the most vulnerable population – children, as well as educating mothers to the transmissibility of oral pathogens and other causative factors. The future is an integrated “dental home” into the health home model with prevention being a primary focus.
Health Center oral health programs serve a unique need that the private practice dental community generally is unable to meet. Health Center patients typically have more oral disease than their more affluent counterparts. Most private practice dentists are inadequately trained to handle patients who have unique cultural, linguistic or health care needs. In many ways, dedicating a career as a dentist or dental hygienist to serve underserved populations is a calling that requires peer support, specific information and training.”
Introduction, NNOHA, Health Center Fundamentals
As a Health Center dentist or dental director, understanding the physical, cultural, fiscal and regulatory environment will help you succeed in providing the best possible care to your patients and community. The resources link in this section includes the currently available NNOHA health center operational manual chapters. While it is unlikely you will read them cover to cover right now, they are an excellent resource to understand many aspects of the Health Center setting. Also, at the end of each chapter, there is a worksheet and several questions to help summarize and direct your thinking about the topic.
Health Center oral health programs serve a unique need that the private practice dental community generally is unable to meet. Health Center patients typically have more oral disease than their more affluent counterparts. Most private practice dentists are inadequately trained to handle patients who have unique cultural, linguistic or health care needs. In many ways, dedicating a career as a dentist or dental hygienist to serve underserved populations is a calling that requires peer support, specific information and training.”
Introduction, NNOHA, Health Center Fundamentals
As a Health Center dentist or dental director, understanding the physical, cultural, fiscal and regulatory environment will help you succeed in providing the best possible care to your patients and community. The resources link in this section includes the currently available NNOHA health center operational manual chapters. While it is unlikely you will read them cover to cover right now, they are an excellent resource to understand many aspects of the Health Center setting. Also, at the end of each chapter, there is a worksheet and several questions to help summarize and direct your thinking about the topic.