CDA Journal focuses on oral health of Californians

The March issue of the Journal of the California Dental Association explores the dental services system in California and focuses on improving the oral health of the state’s most vulnerable populations.

“Numerous factors influence the oral health of children from minority and low-income families and lead to significant oral health disparities for these children,” said Kerry K. Carney, DDS, editor-in-chief of the Journal.

“A Comprehensive School-Based/Linked Dental Program: An Essential Piece of the California Access to Care Puzzle” describes the goals, program elements, and challenges of building a seamless dental services system that could reduce barriers to care, maximize resources, and employ best practices to improve oral health.

This month’s publication also presents two economic analyses, “The Impact of Additional Dental Providers in the Dental Labor Market on the Income of Private Practice Dentists” and “Access to Dental Care and the Capacity of the California Dental Care System.”

“The Capacity of the Dental Systems in California Study: A Review” attempts to help readers understand the complicated analysis and how it was used by CDA member volunteers to develop the recommendations in CDA’s access report, Phased Strategies for Reducing the Barriers to Dental Care in California.

These studies are just part of a larger body of work being used to understand the challenges of access and the March issue of the Journal is a continuation of the January publication, which featured the CDA-commissioned studies that helped shape the recommendations made in the three-phase access report filed by the 2011 CDA House of Delegates.

About the California Dental Association
The California Dental Association is the non-profit organization representing organized dentistry in California. Founded in 1870, CDA is committed to the success of our members in service to their patients and the public. CDA also contributes to the oral health of Californians through various comprehensive programs and advocacy. CDA’s membership consists of more than 25,000 dentists, making it the largest constituent of the American Dental Association. For more information, visit cda.org.