05 September 2023

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Improving patient well-being in dentistry

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Health is an evolving construct that has a subjective meaning. In general, the term health has expanded in its definition to be more inclusive and has transitioned from just physical health to overall well-being. This shift allows health to encompass total body well-being and includes physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual components. 

Similarly, patient well-being encompasses the physical, mental, psychological and social health of an individual. To adequately treat an individual and increase their quality of life, whole-person, patient-centered care needs to be utilized.

This review aims to concisely summarize ways to improve patients' well-being through and in dentistry.

Dental diseases such as dental caries can cause pain, impaired chewing, reduced appetite, sleep disturbances, and reduced daily performance. These diseases can also lead to edentulism, impacting speech and facial shape, which affects the psychological well-being of individuals and confidence during social interactions, self-perception, stress levels, feelings of depression, isolation and frustration.

Oral health is tied to one's quality of life through oral function, overall health, self-perception, social acceptance and social interaction. These relationships demonstrate the importance of utilizing oral health to increase patient quality of life, unify health professions in patient treatment, use preventative medicine and empower patients about their health.

To do so, the dental profession can increase the scope of practice to provide preventative health screening and education on general health, have more open communication, collaborate with other health care professionals and have broader consultations. 

More specifically, dental professionals can increase patient well-being through dental treatment by incorporating greater preventative screening into routine visits, including for diabetes, high blood pressure, diet, and habits (e.g., smoking and teeth clenching). This will allow for better monitoring of chronic diseases and provide more patient education opportunities to increase continuity of care.

While there are barriers that need to be resolved and cost feasibility requires more exploration, the potential benefit to patients is apparent.

Arden Mills, Yuli Berlin-Broner, Liran Levin, "Improving Patient Well-Being as a Broader Perspective in Dentistry," International Dental Journal, 2023, ISSN 0020-6539, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.identj.2023.05.005.