290575
Overcoming language barriers in virtual dental home demonstration project sites
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
: 9:30 a.m. - 9:50 a.m.
Michelle Rosaschi, MPH,
Pacific Center for Special Care, University of the Pacific School of Dentistry, San Francisco, CA
Maureen Harrington, MPH,
Pacific Center for Special Care, University of the Pacific School of Dentistry, San Francisco, CA
Maysa Namakian, MPH,
Department of Dental Practice, University of the Pacific School of Dentistry, San Francisco, CA
Overcoming language barriers is a vital component in providing effective on-site, oral health care. The Virtual Dental Home (VDH) Demonstration Project is customizing communication and oral health instruction to the language of the patient. The VDH infrastructure is currently utilizing strategies to overcoming many systemic language barriers. The VDH is a new system of care using technology to deliver community-based oral health services and maintain the oral health of vulnerable populations. Participating sites include elementary schools, Head Start preschool sites, long-term care facilities, and sites in rural communities. The populations served at these sites in California experience language barriers when accessing care. To determine how each site handles these language barriers, oral interviews were conducted to learn how language barriers were addressed. This presentation will review results of these surveys and lessons learned including translation services as well as other unique methods which utilize available community site resources.
Learning Areas:
Communication and informatics
Diversity and culture
Public health or related education
Learning Objectives:
Explain how dental personnel at the Virtual Dental Home Demonstration Project sites manage language barriers with patients, parents/guardians and site administrators.
Discuss how translation services are built into site infrastructure.
Identify strategies for engaging in effective communication with non-English speaking patients, parents, and guardians.
Keyword(s): Barriers to Care, Community-Based Public Health
Presenting author's disclosure statement:Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: As an MPH candidate at San Jose State Univeristy and working with the Pacific Center for Special Care, I conducted interviews with participating Virtual Dental Home sites as part of a larger patient satisfaction survey project. These interviews emphasized the need for increased understanding of how translation services are managed.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines,
and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed
in my presentation.
