Access to oral health care: Professional and societal considerations

Access to health care is a complex subject with vast personal, economic, political, and societal ramifications. Issues concerning the rights and responsibilities of health care professionals-collectively and as individual members of a profession-comprise an important topic within ongoing debates concerning access to care, and constituted the overarching focus of the deliberations that form the basis of this publication. This article provides definitions of key terms; data concerning demography, oral health status, and use of dental services for children and seniors; and a contextual framework for examining broad underlying professional and societal considerations. It concludes with reflections on joint responsibilities and guiding principles that apply to dental professionals and government agencies charged with administering public benefits programs and the consequences likely to ensue if these vital stakeholders fail to respect fundamental principles of professionalism and economics.