Strategies for managing dental care for refugee patients

To outline key factors that contribute to oral health issues of refugees and asylum seekers and provide management strategies for dental providers to teach desensitization and fear reduction for this special population.

We researched published literature in the PubMed database and incorporated lessons gained from treating refugee and asylee patients at a Vulnerable Populations Clinic (VPC) at an urban academic dental school. Refugees and asylees are at high risk for oral conditions due to a tendency to not seek routine dental treatment, psychological stressors, and various systemic factors. Oral health providers can teach patients desensitization and fear reduction by working to gain patients' trust by having effective communication and prioritizing comfort in the dental operatory. Providers should also utilize translation, psychological, and/or multicultural support services during their management of care.

By having a stronger understanding of the key causes of oral health issues among refugees and asylees in the United States, dental providers can better approach managing care for this vulnerable patient population. The concepts of teaching desensitization and fear reduction utilized for this special population can be applied to managing care for the wider special needs patient community.