Community-based preventive activities in the Public Dental Service in Norway

Area of Science:

• Public Health Dentistry
• Community Oral Health
• Preventive Dentistry

Background:

• Community-based preventive interventions are crucial for public oral health.
• Dental teams increasingly provide services outside traditional clinic settings.
• Understanding current practices and guidelines is essential for optimizing outreach programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe community-based preventive interventions by dental teams in Norway.
• To identify target groups and existing guidelines for these activities.
• To determine who develops guidelines and their knowledge sources.

Main Methods:

• Questionnaires were distributed to 421 dental clinics across 15 Public Dental Service regions in Norway.
• The most experienced dental hygienist and dentist from each clinic were invited to respond.
• A response rate of 60% was achieved, with 215 dentists and 166 dental hygienists participating.

Main Results:

• Nearly 40% of surveyed clinics reported having guidelines for community-based activities.
• Dental hygienists and local chief dentists were primarily responsible for planning these interventions.
• Key target groups included young children and dependent elderly, with activities often conducted at child welfare centers and nursing homes.

Conclusions:

• A more strategic and coordinated approach to community-based dental activities is necessary at regional and local levels.
• Assessment of oral health needs within specific population groups should guide interventions.
• Continuous documentation and evaluation are vital for resource optimization and evidence-based practice.