Community led: celebrating wellness with a smile

Area of Science:

• Indigenous Health
• Community-Based Participatory Research
• Oral Health

Background:

• Dental caries represents a significant public health challenge and financial burden in Canada, particularly among children.
• The annual cost of pediatric dental day surgery in Canada amounts to $21.2 million.
• Existing oral health service provision requires examination within Indigenous communities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore strengths and barriers in oral health service delivery within an Indigenous community in northern Saskatchewan.
• To conduct community-led research from an Indigenous perspective.
• To identify actionable solutions for improving oral health outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A community-based participatory research approach was employed, emphasizing authentic relationship building.
• Descriptive statistics analyzed data from 38 participants.
• Semi-structured interviews with community members (elders, healthcare providers, teachers, parents/guardians) were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis.

Main Results:

• Key themes identified include strong community resilience.
• A significant need for enhanced oral health literacy and skills was observed.
• Barriers to accessing dental care were a prominent concern requiring mitigation.

Conclusions:

• Community-driven initiatives are vital for addressing oral health disparities.
• Improving oral health literacy and overcoming access barriers can transform service delivery.
• This research provides a model for community-led health system transformation.