Improving oral health literacy - the new standard in dental hygiene practice

Oral diseases continue to burden a significant portion of the American public, especially those in low-income groups. The misconception that oral health is less important than general health exists among America's citizens even though it has been 13 years since the Surgeon General's report affirmed oral health as an essential component of general health. Research has shown that poor oral health literacy (OHL) affects oral health, can negatively influence quality of life and has a significant financial impact on society. National initiatives to increase the OHL levels of American citizens include training health care professionals about effective communication skills and disseminating oral health information to groups outside of dentistry. This paper describes a new course on OHL and communication techniques for dental hygiene students at the University of Maryland, School of Dentistry.