Introduction to Community Dentistry

Introduction toCommunity Dentistry
Dr.Lamya Al-Azzzawi
Ph.D. Community Dentistry
Department of Pediatric, Orthodontic and Preventive Dentistry (P.O.P)
WHO(World Health Organization)Health : “ a state of complete physical ,mental and social wellbeing and merely absence of disease or infirmity”1
Public health : define by Winslow, ‘‘ the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting physical health and efficiency through organized community efforts’’2
A community is a definite group of people or population having common organization ,living in the same region following same rules and regulations under the same environment.
Dental Public Health
Definition of American Board of Dental Public Health
Dental public health is the science and art of preventing and controlling dental diseases and promoting dental health through organized community efforts. It is that form of dental practice that serves the community as a patient rather than the individual.3
It is concerned
with the dental health education of the public,
with applied dental research,
and with the administration of group dental care programs,
as well as the prevention and control of dental diseases on a community basis
Concepts of Health
Biomedical concept
Ecological concept
Psychosocial concept
Biomedical concept
Absence of diseases
Inadequate to solve major health problems like (malnutrition, chronic disease, accidents, disease caused by pollution of the country’s air and water system
Ecological concept
Dynamic equilibrium between man and his environment

Disease : maladjustment of the human organism to the environment

Psychosocial concept

Health is influenced by social, psychological ,cultural ,and economic, and political factors.
Principles followed in dental public health practices
Public health work is done in areas where group responsibility is
recognized .
Public health work relies on team effort.
Prevention of the diseases is the main goal.(prevention is better than cure).
Deals with the research for the cause of the disease .
Bio- statistical methods give a comparative analysis of the population seen and form basis for more studies.
Public health workers deal with healthy people as well as the sick people.
Health education & communication of the local population.
Payment of health care made easy.
Tools Of Dental Public Health
Epidemiology: Study of distribution and determinants of health related event in population.

Bio-statistics : Is branch of statistics concerned with mathematical facts and data relating to biological events.

Social Sciences: Sciences that include sociology, cultural anthropology, and psychology
Principles of administration: Can be divided into

Organization: deals with structure of an agency and the way people are arranged into working groups with it

Management : Is concerned with the handling of personal and operation in such a way that the work of the agency gets done
Prevention Dentistry: Procedure employed in the practice of dentistry ,and community dental health s programs which prevent occurrence of oral disease and oral abnormalities
Levels of Prevention
1.Primary prevention
2.Secondary prevention
3.Tertiary prevention
Prevention Dentistry: Procedure employed in the practice of dentistry ,and community dental health s programs which prevent occurrence of oral disease and oral abnormalities
Levels of Prevention
1.Primary prevention
2.Secondary prevention
3.Tertiary prevention
Primary prevention aims to prevent disease or injury before it occurs. This is done by preventing exposures to hazards that cause disease or injury,  so this level include health education, disease prevention , and health protection.(Dental prophylaxis,sealants,and water fluoridation)
Secondary prevention to reduce or eliminate the disease in early stages. This is done by detecting and treating disease or injury as soon as possible. This level requires more technology and it is more costly than primary prevention