Understanding Oral Health Disparities Among Students: A Comparative Study between Dental Medicine and Social Work

Background: Despite decades of initiatives such as public health campaigns and expanded Medicaid coverage, significant oral health disparity persists. The persistence of oral health disparities prompts critical questions regarding the effectiveness of current approaches and the need for innovative, interdisciplinary solutions. This research aims to examine the differing viewpoints of dental medicine (DM) and social work (SW) students, identifying potential areas of cooperation and partnership to address the disparity.

Method: The semi-structured interviews were conducted with six DM students and six SW students. Thematic analysis of the transcripts was then conducted, with a focus on 1) how the school shaped their perception towards the oral health 2) Social Determinants of Oral Health(SDOH).

Results:

DMs were more exposed to the curriculums emphasizing its functional aspects and its connection to systemic health with different approach of learning including interdisciplinary seminars or group discussions. DMs also acknowledged the concern of their faculties regarding oral health disparities and witnessed these values translated into clinical practice. However, none of SWs had had a conversation with their classmates or faculties, only discussion on general health disparity, thus acknowledging oral health was narrow on superficial aspects like teeth, gums, and basic hygiene practices. When asking about the primary factors influencing oral health, both groups stated Medicaid coverage, low reimbursement rates and transportation/accessibility. Other than that, SMs mentioned childcare, mental issues, and a lack of priority. DMs pointed out the fear/anxiety, time pressure, and financial challenges. Also, all DMs mentioned high tuition fee, which made them prioritize the profit over the patients care. DMs stated that the financial burden of student loans may influence oral hygiene education and insurance preferences, with dentists potentially prioritizing patients covered by insurance plans offering higher reimbursement fees. Both disciplines expressed a sense of responsibility within their respective professions, but DMs in particular highlighted the need for a bridging profession, like social workers, capable of addressing the challenges faced by patients coming to dental clinics. Additionally, DMs noted policy advocacy to address high tuition fees, such as offering subsidies to graduates working in underserved areas, which could help reduce oral health disparities.

Conclusion: There was non-identical understanding of oral health depending on their disciplines, which caused a gap of depth of perception on oral health disparity and SDOH. The findings support the idea that efforts should be made to foster dialogue and knowledge-sharing between dental and social work faculties to enhance understanding and collaboration on oral health issues. Also, the findings highlighted the need for a bridging profession, integrating social workers into dental practices to address social factors affecting oral health. Finally, there was a need to advocate for programs addressing DMs' student loan pressure and improving dental clinic accessibility in underserved areas, both identified as significant SDOH.