Beyond the Teeth: An Interdisciplinary Narrative Review of the "Mouth-Health Connection" Training Initiative for Community Health Workers and Caregivers
Abstract
Background: The gap between medical and dental care, along with unequal healthcare access, allows the mouth to signal systemic diseases and infections. Community health workers and family caregivers can identify early signs of oral-systemic issues but often lack the interdisciplinary knowledge to intervene, resulting in missed opportunities for early action, especially for aging, disabled, and underserved populations. Aim: This narrative review aims to synthesize current evidence and models for interdisciplinary training programs that empower CHWs and caregivers with knowledge of the mouth-health connection. Methods: A systematic literature search (2010-2024) was conducted across PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, ERIC, and Public Health Database. Results: The review highlights that effective "mouth-health connection" training goes beyond basic oral hygiene. Key characteristics of successful programs include standardized, culturally adapted curricula developed by dental and medical professionals, practical skill-building by dental assistants, clear referral pathways taught by nurses, and medication safety components from pharmacists. Training community health workers (CHWs) and caregivers results in better oral health assessments, earlier referrals, and increased caregiver confidence. However, challenges such as funding sustainability, scope-of-practice limitations, and the necessity for ongoing mentorship persist. Conclusion: Empowering non-traditional health allies with integrated oral-systemic knowledge is a potent, equitable public health strategy. It requires dismantling professional silos to create a unified training front. Investing in these interdisciplinary education initiatives can reduce preventable complications, lower healthcare costs, and advance a truly holistic model of community-based care.
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Authors
Copyright (c) 2024 Naif Saad Mesfer Alqahtani, Saleem Salem Menwer Alharbi, Naori Hussain K. Zawad, Nasser Abdullah Alofani, Mohammed Abdullah Alofani, Muhamad Shayie Fahd Aldawsari, Abdullah Majed Abdulrahman Al Mohammed, Alhassan Mohammed Ahmad Mashiakhy, Mohammed Mosa Yahya Hanshali, Amna Obaid Abdo Abu Ayed, Modhi Suwaidan Aqeel Alsulobi, Waleed Ghazy Almutairi, Norah Abdullah Naser ALGaseem, Reem Hajad Shabwan Alshamrani
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.