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| EDITORIAL |
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| Year : 2020 | Volume
: 1
| Issue : 1 | Page : 1-2 |
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Call for dialogue: Primary care, dentistry, oral medicine, and public health
Raman Kumar
Director, Institute of Family Medicine and Primary Care; Academy of Family Physicians of India; WONCA World Organization of Family Doctors South Asia Region, New Delhi, India
| Date of Submission | 17-Dec-2020 |
| Date of Acceptance | 17-Dec-2020 |
| Date of Web Publication | 31-Dec-2020 |
Correspondence Address:
Raman Kumar
049, Crema Tower, Mahagun Mascot, Crossing Republik, Ghaziabad 201016, Uttar Pradesh
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None
DOI: 10.4103/jpcdoh.jpcdoh_11_20
The Journal of Primary Care Dentistry and Oral Health has been established with the aim of promoting interdisciplinary research within an academic domain that is of paramount significance but often neglected the most. Poor oro-dental health leads not only to considerable morbidity but also costs to individuals, community, and governments in economic terms. The primary care setting uniquely offers the opportunity to deliver oral health care to the population as part of a comprehensive health-care package. The editorial team of the journal welcomes all primary care, dental and oral health, and public health professionals to support this unique area of human need through their scholastic work.
Keywords: Comprehensive health care, dental medicine, dentistry, oral health, oral hygiene, primary care, public health, public health dentistry
How to cite this article:
Kumar R. Call for dialogue: Primary care, dentistry, oral medicine, and public health. J Prim Care Dent Oral Health 2020;1:1-2 |
How to cite this URL:
Kumar R. Call for dialogue: Primary care, dentistry, oral medicine, and public health. J Prim Care Dent Oral Health [serial online] 2020 [cited 2021 Jan 20];1:1-2. Available from: http://www.jpcdoh.org/text.asp?2020/1/1/1/305891 |
| Introduction | |  |
The oral cavity is the intersection of medicine and dentistry and the window into the general health of a patient. Hundreds of diseases and medications impact the oral cavity, and pathologic conditions in the mouth have a greater systemic impact than many providers appreciate.[1]
| Welcome to the Journal of Primary Care Dentistry and Oral Health | | |
The Journal of Primary Care Dentistry and Oral Health (JPCDOH) has been established with the aim of promoting interdisciplinary research within an academic domain that is of paramount significance but often neglected the most. Poor oro-dental health leads not only to considerable morbidity but also costs to individuals, community, and governments in economic terms. Oro-dental diseases are also potentially preventable. Oral health care is required throughout the life cycle of human beings for all genders and within the context of all organ systems.
| Clinical Implications of Dental and Oral Health | | |
Dental and oral health impacts the overall health and quality of life of a person. Poor oral health leads to systemic illnesses and vice versa. Failure to prevent the progression of preventable oral disease many times leads to serious adverse outcomes. Atherosclerotic diseases, systemic infections, diabetic complications, and malignancies are known outcomes of poor oral health.
No standard referral system exists between primary care specialists and dental care providers. Providers, academicians, and researchers work in silos. A formal professional relationship between medicine and dentistry is a mandatory requirement. The current models of the general health-care delivery system are organized fails to address the dental and oral health needs of the population. Horizontal integration and continuity of care are missing. The disparities are more palpable for low-resourced rural and underserved populations.
| Need for Public Health Intervention | | |
The journal JPCDOH fosters a dialog between primary care, dental, oral health, and public health professionals. Population-based strategies, disease prevention, the promotion of dental-oral health, and surveillance are dealt with by public health dentistry. The care of dental and oral health needs to be optimized in primary care, community, and public health context. Cancers and tobacco use are the clinical as well as public health entities that can be best addressed in primary care settings. Community-based care for the prevention of dental disease and the promotion of oral health should be the cornerstone of a comprehensive primary care system.
| Primary Care Context and Partnerships | | |
The primary care setting uniquely offers the opportunity to deliver oral health care to the population as part of a comprehensive health-care package. Primary care providers, dental surgeons, and their teams are required to work together and in a collaborative environment. In this partnership, the role of the primary care provider and the team is to assess and reduce risk, screen for signs of early oral disease, implement preventive measures, and identify patients in need of dental care, whereas dentists and oral health professionals have a role in preventing oral disease and identifying patients at elevated risk of systemic illnesses.
| Call for Innovation | | |
Oral health and primary care dentistry should receive due attention and recognition. The editorial team of the journal welcomes all primary care, dental and oral health, and public health professionals to support this unique area of human need through their scholastic work. Innovation is the key to expand this academic domain.
Financial support and sponsorship
Nil.
Conflicts of interest
There are no conflicts of interest.
| References | | |
| 1. | Kane SF. The effects of oral health on systemic health. Gen Dent 2017;65:30-4.  |
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