Oral health in the American Indian population has lagged behind that of the general US population. Preventive oral health services have been demonstrated to effectively reduce and prevent oral diseases. The barriers to maintaining oral health among American Indian communities of New Mexico extend to availability of dental services in rural and frontier settings, lack of adequate insurance or financial abilities, and a generalized mistrust of western medicine. The majority of American Indians residing within the Indian Health Service Albuquerque Service Area live within rural or frontier environments where dental care is sporadic. The needs of the American Indian patient have not been addressed in the view of many patients. This perception stems from the lack of American Indian representation in the dental profession. No dental assistant training program has existed in the Albuquerque Area since 1982 to recruit, train or place American Indian dental auxiliaries. To address these needs the American Indian community in New Mexico has established the New Mexico Oral Health Collaborative. The objective of the Collaborative has been the delivery of culturally appropriate services to American Indian patients. The Collaborative’s efforts have resulted in an increase in patient visits and return visits to the SIPI Dental Clinic in Albuquerque as well as the initiation of a dental auxiliary training program for American Indian students from throughout the US. Recruitment and training of American Indian dental auxiliaries will improve the ability of oral health professionals to address the needs of American Indian patients and improve their health.
Learning Objectives: New Mexico ranks near or at the bottom of virtually every economic status bar. Delvery of health care has been severly affected by this fat. In an effort to improve oral health care for American Indian patients an Oral health Collaborative was established. The learning objective for this abstract will be the presentation of the process developed by American Indian health professionals to address the needs of the American Indian populatrion. The process is one of particpation rther than direction from outside aagencies.
Keywords: Access to Health Care, American Indians
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.