Access to Interpreter Services at U.S. Dental School Clinics

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Dental Education
• Health Equity

Background:

• Growing population of Americans with limited English proficiency (LEP).
• Legal mandates ensure equal access to healthcare services for LEP individuals.
• Need to assess current support and education within dental schools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the availability of interpretation services in U.S. dental school clinics.
• To assess the extent of instruction provided to dental students on treating LEP patients.
• To identify challenges and opportunities in providing equitable dental care to LEP patients.

Main Methods:

• Survey distributed to academic deans of U.S. dental schools.
• 35 schools completed the survey (58% response rate).
• Data collected on LEP patient numbers, available resources, and student instruction.

Main Results:

• Perceived increase in LEP patients treated at dental schools compared to the general population.
• Wide variation in interpreter services availability and student education on LEP patient care.
• Most schools provide less than two hours of instruction on treating LEP patients.

Conclusions:

• Dental schools require curricular innovations to adequately prepare students for treating LEP populations.
• Improvements are needed to enhance LEP patients' access to care in teaching clinics.
• Addressing these gaps is crucial for achieving health equity in dental services.