Executive Summary
As a student worker in the University of Pittsburgh Dental School’s Department of Public Health, I have noticed the topic of oral health disparities in children living in rural areas. After further researching the topic, I discovered the lack of and access to oral healthcare in rural communities more astounding than previously expected. From 1999 to 2010, the percentage of adults, aged eighteen and over, who have had their teeth cleaned in the past year decreased from 76% to 71.2%. Over the past 25 years, the number of traditional dental Health Professional Shortage Areas has nearly tripled—from 800 in 1993 to 2,300 in 2010 (Wolfe, 2016).
As a student worker in the University of Pittsburgh Dental School’s Department of Public Health, I have noticed the topic of oral health disparities in children living in rural areas. After further researching the topic, I discovered the lack of and access to oral healthcare in rural communities more astounding than previously expected. From 1999 to 2010, the percentage of adults, aged eighteen and over, who have had their teeth cleaned in the past year decreased from 76% to 71.2%. Over the past 25 years, the number of traditional dental Health Professional Shortage Areas has nearly tripled—from 800 in 1993 to 2,300 in 2010 (Wolfe, 2016).