Access to oral health care in Georgia: A geographic information systems (GIS) assessment

Limited access to oral health care services, an aging dental workforce and the high dental practice costs all combined, produce an oral health care workforce crisis in Georgia. This project uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS) approach to pinpoint locations in Georgia where there are dental practices vulnerable and underserved individuals—including racial and ethnic minorities, people with special health care needs, older adults, pregnant women, populations of lower socioeconomic status, and rural populations. In 2012, the Georgia Oral Health Coalition (GOHC) identified access to oral health as a top priority and convened a summit to collectively address the issue. Key partners developed action steps for seven regions to look at where people live, how they travel and where these practices are. Coverage maps were developed describing areas with no dental services and areas where the closest dental office is at least one or more counties drive away from residents' homes.

This presentation examines the potential of GIS in aiding policy makers and advocates in planning coordinated responses to improving oral health, using three examples. Policy initiatives emerging from this mapping include the Georgia Dental Association (GDA) census, public participation GIS to empower and engage communities, and integrate GIS using US Census data to develop a task force to address demographic and socio-economic access disparities in a culturally and linguistically sensitive manner.

Similar projects can be undertaken by the oral health field in delivering improvements in the areas of oral cancer, increasing diversity within the dental workforce and better educating communities.