AIDPH hosted its annual colloquium “Confronting Inequity Through Oral Health Policy” on January 14 and 15, 2020. This year’s colloquium featured expert speakers from diverse backgrounds to lead the discussion around inequities in public policy and how clinicians, policy makers and leaders can affect change.

Dr. Tyler Sanslow of Fenway Health presented Dental Care For The LGBTQ+ Community: Achieving Dental Health Equity. In this presentation, Dr. Sanslow describes creating affirming and inclusive environments in dentistry as a crucial step in achieving health equity for the LGBTQ+ community.

Presentation Abstract

Individuals identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or other (LGBTQ+) have historically struggled with access to oral health care. Progress for the LGBTQ+ community is one of the leading civil rights issues of our time, with They being named as Merriam Webster’s 2019 Word of the Year. While public health efforts increasingly focus on reducing health disparities and increasing access to care, many areas still lack dental health equity for LGBTQ+ individuals. It is critical to understand the language and terminology associated with the LGBTQ+ population in order to address LGBTQ+ health disparities, social determinants of health and access to care. The health needs of the LGBTQ+ population are relatively the same as the general population; it is the nuanced approach, considerations, and practices that differ in providing inclusive care to the underserved LGBTQ+ population.

Tell us more. What can we do to incorporate the needs of LGBTQ+ individuals into our best dental practices in our mission to achieve health equity?

If you’d like to know more about the 2020 AIDPH Colloquium, you can check out the Book of Proceedings. You can also watch the presentation here. 

Post authored by:

Caitie Skaggs | AIDPH Staff

The American Institute of Dental Public Health

programs@aidph.org