2022 Oral Health Assessment

“So much of oral health and dentistry grant funding leaves out the communities and individuals most affected,” said Alec S. Eidelman, DMD, MPH, CHA community dentist and lead researcher. CHA, in partnership with Health Resources in Action, developed a novel, stand-alone Community Oral Health Needs Assessment to learn about the needs of residents in Malden and Everett, Massachusetts. Interviews were conducted with key community members, focus groups were held with at-risk populations and online surveys were administered in the community in six languages.

Some key findings include:

• Oral health affects quality of life – the ability to function as well as physical, psychological and social wellbeing.

• Pervasive disparities exist in access to oral health services in the Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities of Malden and Everett.

• Out of pocket expenses at private dental practices are too high forcing people to choose between rent, groceries or oral health.

“This project provided a voice to people living in this region. Community partnerships were enhanced, and together, we began addressing oral health needs of individuals. The stories we heard and the lessons we learned are directly aiding in the development of accessible oral health education and prevention programs, such as school-based oral health programming, elder and group living care, as well as substance use,” explained Dr. Eidelman.