Access to dental health? An ethnic minority perspective of the dental services

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Abstract
THERE is an increasing awareness that health pro fessionals must become more responsive to the needs of consumers if the health system is to meet the needs of the population it serves. This study focused on dental health care. The aims were to enquire about awareness of dental care facilities and to explore ways in which some Asian mothers con sidered that access to oral health care could be improved. One hundred mothers originating from Pakistan or Bangladesh, some of whom had never been to the dentist, were involved in informal dis cussions conducted in their mother tongue. A num ber of barriers to oral care were identified. Access to services could be improved through the provision of appropriate health education and by developing bet ter professional dental care with more sensitive training and manpower deployment. More effective use of the dental services could also be achieved through inter-disciplinary health promotion, for example using health visitors, teachers and other professionals with whom Asian groups have already established reliable contacts. Public support for bet ter oral health requires encouragement from health professionals and opinion leaders within the appro priate Asian communities, as well as by policy decisions to maintain and improve those dental ser vices that are utilised at present.

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