Access to oral health care in the Georgia prison system

The Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution establishes the basis for inmates' rights to health care and includes both routine and emergency medical, dental and psychiatric treatment. According to Georgia's Correctional Standards of Health Care, inmates should receive a dental examination within 30 days of incarceration, instructions in oral hygiene and other care by a dentist when medically necessary. The July, August and September 2011 Georgia Department of Corrections' profiles of active inmates in the Georgia prison system reveal a need for both dental and dental hygiene services. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the access to oral health care of inmates in the Georgia prison system. Potential barriers to dental and dental hygiene services are identified and suggestions are offered to improve access to care for inmates.