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Oral health does not just affect the mouth, but can also have a significant impact on one's overall health. Poor oral health can affect chronic diseases, and be affected by these health conditions. Toothaches, caries, missing teeth, and periodontal diseases can cause considerable pain and low self-esteem, which can affect quality of life. Poor oral health has a disproportionate impact on racial/ethnic minority populations, limitedEnglish-proficient populations, and low-income populations.1 Risk factors for poor oral health include lack of dental insurance and access to dental care.2
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are the fastest-growing population in the nation,3 yet remain the most understudied. Much of the data on this ethnically diverse population are aggregated, leading to hidden health disparities within some of the ethnic groups. Despite the limited disaggregated data, some evidence of oral health disparities among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders exists. In California, 44% of low-income Asian Americans and Pacific Islander (AAPI) preschoolers had developed early childhood caries, one of the highest rates among all ethnic/racial groups.4 AAPI children were also significantly more likely than White children to have teeth in suboptimal condition.5 Absent of such data, dental providers serving the AAPI population are a valuable resource for identifying and addressing oral health disparities.
Drawing upon the experiences of a federally qualified health center (FQHC) serving Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, this editorial highlights oral health disparities faced by Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and how FQHCs can play a major role in addressing them.
ACCESS TO DENTAL CARE AT FQHCS
For medically underserved populations, including Medicaid enrollees, FQHCs have become the mainstay ofUS safety nets. A vast majority of the 24 million FQHC patients are disproportionately low-income, limited-English-proficient, racial/ ethnic minorities and tend to suffer from poorer health compared with the general population.6 The presence of dental programs in FQHCs addresses a number of barriers to access and quality dental care, including affordability, and cultural and linguistic competency, as well as enhances the opportunity to provide whole-person care.
Founded in 1974, Asian Health Services (AHS) is...