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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Oral health

Water Fluoridation and Dental Health Indicators in Rural and Urban Areas of the United States
Investigates the availability of fluoridated water across urban-rural settings, and relates measures of fluoride availability to national survey measures of dental health in adults and children.
Additional links: Policy Brief
Author(s): Michael Hendryx, Constance Weiner, Matthew Gurka
Date: 11/2011
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: West Virginia Rural Health Research Center
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The Health and Well-Being of Children in Rural Areas: A Portrait of the Nation 2007
Analyzes data from the National Survey of Children's Health to describe the health status, healthcare utilization, activities, and family and community environments experienced by children in rural and urban areas.
Date: 09/2011
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Geospatially Illustrating Regional-Based Oral Health Disparities in Kentucky
Identifies dental health differences between Appalachian and non-Appalachian regions of Kentucky. Includes county-level maps showing percentages of adults with six or more teeth removed due to disease and number of dentists per 10,000 population.
Author(s): Daniel M. Saman, Andrew O. Johnson, Oscar Arevalo, Agricola Odoi
Citation: Public Health Report, 126(4)
Date: 07/2011
Type: Document
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Improving Access to Oral Health Care for Vulnerable and Underserved Populations
Presents a vision for how to improve oral health care for vulnerable and underserved populations, and recommends ways to achieve this vision. Chapters include oral health status, workforce, expenditures, health care delivery, and oral health settings.
Additional links: Read Online
Date: 2011
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Advancing Oral Health in America
Discusses the challenges facing the current oral health system, the connection between oral health and overall health, and how to improve oral health care. Chapters 2 and 3 discuss the oral health system in rural settings.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Committee on an Oral Health Initiative
Date: 2011
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Recruitment of Rural and Cognitively Impaired Older Adults for Dental Research
Discusses the successful recruitment of rural community-dwelling older adults with cognitive impairment for dental research.
Author(s): B. Wu, E.A. Goedereis, R.J. Crout, et al.
Citation: Special Care in Dentistry, 30(5), 193-199
Date: 09/2010
Type: Document
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Use of Emergency Departments for Conditions Related to Poor Oral Health Care
Reports findings from a study of seven states that looked at use of emergency departments to address oral health needs. Provides data for rural and urban areas and discusses the potential impacts of differences in state Medicaid policies.
Author(s): Emily F. Shortridge, Jonathan R. Moore
Date: 08/2010
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
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Washington State's Oral Health Workforce
Examines Washington state's oral health workforce needs in 2009 and moving forward. Includes data specific to rural areas and at the state- and county-level.
Author(s): Susan M. Skillman, C. Holly A. Andrilla, Joseli A. Alves-Dunkerson, et al.
Date: 11/2009
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: UW Center for Health Workforce Studies
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Dental Health and Access to Care Among Rural Children: A National and State Portrait
Examines topics related to children and their access to dental health services. Covers dental health status, preventive services, and insurance coverage for children in rural and urban areas. Includes data by race/ethnicity, age, gender, poverty level, and other child, family, and community characteristics. Provides state-by-state data and state profiles.
Additional links: Fact Sheet
Author(s): Amy Brock Martin, Eric Wang, Janice C. Probst, Nathan Hale, Andrew O. Johnson
Date: 03/2008
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Minority Health Research Center (formerly the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center)
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Mode of Travel and Actual Distance Traveled For Medical or Dental Care By Rural and Urban Residents
Discusses the cost and difficulty associated with travel for medical or dental care, which may serve as a barrier for rural populations.
Additional links: Fact Sheet
Author(s): Janice C. Probst, Sarah B. Laditka, Jong-Yi Wang, Andy Johnson
Date: 05/2006
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Minority Health Research Center (formerly the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center)
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