| Public Health Dentistry — Creating Access
for the Underserved |
An interview with RADM
Christopher G. Halliday, Chief Dental Officer, USPHS
 Public
health dentistry differs greatly from the individual patient-centric approach
of private practice. Rather than focusing on individuals, public health dentistry
views an entire community as a patient, and seeks to prevent and control dental
diseases on a community basis through organized community efforts.
Formally recognized as a dental specialty by the American Dental Association
in 1950, public health dentistry has made great strides in the decades that followed.
Leading the way are the Commissioned Corps Dental Officers of the US Public Health
Service (USPHS), who serve the public and underserved communities in a variety
of federal agencies and programs.
In an exclusive interview with the staff of Impressions, RADM Christopher
G. Halliday, DDS, MPH, Chief Dental Officer for USPHS and Director of the Indian
Health Service (IHS) Division of Oral Health, discusses the challenges facing
public health dentistry today and in the future. He covers topics such as access
to care for underserved populations, the task of raising awareness of healthcare
need in these communities, and the government’s commitment to keeping pace
with current technologies in dental care delivery.
“There continues to be significant segments of underserved populations
that lack regular access to dental care, and the need is increasing in these
communities,” says RADM Halliday. “This is especially true of American
Indian and Alaska Native populations, who have a rate of dental disease about
two and a half times the national average. These communities are served by IHS,
the largest employer of Commission Corps and civil service dentists among USPHS
operational divisions.”
Of particular concern is the rapidly-growing pediatric and adolescent segments
of the population, which experience tooth decay earlier and to a greater extent
than other children in the general US population.
“While much progress has been made, we’re working toward further
addressing their oral health needs without ignoring the rest of the population
in underserved communities,” says RADM Halliday. “I’d like
to see more emphasis on community-based and clinical-based prevention programs
in this regard. Dental hygienists and dental assistants are important in this
area for IHS, as they provide clinical and community-based prevention programs
for all age groups.” Read
the full article »
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IHS Snap Facts
138 Applications for 2006 IHS externship
103 Students placed in externship
24 IHS and Tribal externship sites
8,652 Patients treated by externs
14 Average number of days for externship
10/01/06 Applications accepted for 2007 IHS externships
2/28/07 Application deadline for 2007 IHS externship
Externship Application Instructions |
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