Barriers to Access Dental Care Services

Year 2021, Volume: 1 Issue: 1, 31 - 39, 29.12.2021

Mehmet Özyurt

https://doi.org/10.29228/aijhs.7

Abstract

Health service is a fundamental right that states should provide to their communities. Oral and dental care services
are also within the scope of health services. However, it is separated from health services at some points and this
situation creates barriers in accessing services. The aim of this study is to identify the barriers and problems in
accessing dental care services by reviewing the literature. For this purpose, the research was carried out by searching
the database of Web of Science on 25.06.2021 and this brings up 18 articles containing the foloowing terms group
"barrier OR problem OR lack" AND "access" AND "dental care" in the title of the articles, and 16 articles were
included in the review. Most of the articles reviewed were conducted in the USA, the most frequently cited barriers;
dentists' reluctant behaviour, the cost of services, and barriers to individuals with special service needs. As solution
suggestions, governments should create health policies that minimize these barriers, being aware of the fact that there
are sections in the society who experience barriers in accessing oral and dental health services, increasing health
insurance coverage at least for disadvantaged individuals, planning the geographical distribution of service delivery
institutions in a way that does not hinder access, providing dentists and dental care services. It can be suggested that
oral and dental health professionals should be given courses/trainings that will include individuals with special service
needs, how to approach them and how to treat them

Keywords

Dental care services, Health services, Barriers to access services

Ağız ve Diş Sağlığı Hizmetlerine Erişimdeki Engeller

Abstract

Sağlık hizmetleri devletlerin toplumlarına sunması gereken temel bir haktır. Ağız-diş sağlığı hizmetleri de sağlık
hizmetlerinin kapsamındadır. Ancak bazı noktalarda sağlık hizmetlerinden ayrışmış olduğu (sigorta kapsamları,
kamunun hizmetlerde ağırlığı vb.) ve bu durumun hizmetlere erişimde engeller oluşturduğu görülmektedir. Ülkelerin,
sağlık hizmetlerine ve özellikle ağız-diş sağlığı hizmetlerine erişiminin toplumun tüm kesimlerine herhangi bir
engelle karşılaşmayacakları şekilde sunabilmesi önemlidir. Bu çalışmanın amacı ağız ve diş sağlığı hizmetlerine
erişimdeki engellerin ve problemlerin literatür taraması yoluyla belirlenmesidir. Bu amaçla araştırmanın evrenini,
Web of Science veri tabanında 25.06.2021 tarihinde yapılan tarama ile, makale başlığında "barrier OR problem OR
lack" AND "access" AND “dental care” kelime gruplarının yer aldığı 18 makale oluşturmuştur. İki makalenin tam
metnine ulaşılamadığından 16 makale incelemeye alınmıştır. İncelenen makalelerin çoğunun Amerika Birleşik
Devletleri’nde (ABD) yapıldığı, en sık belirtilen engellerin; diş hekimlerinin isteksiz davranışları, hizmetlerin
maliyeti ve özel hizmet ihtiyacı olan bireylerle ilgili engeller olduğu görülmüştür. Daha sonra sırasıyla; sigorta ile
ilgili engeller, ulaşım, hizmet sağlayıcı bulamama, uzun bekleme süreleri, kalitesiz hizmet algısı, gelir düşüklüğü,
dental kaygı, ihtiyacın algılanamaması, iletişim problemleri, ırksal ayrımcılıklar, geçmiş deneyimler ve sağlık
personelinin eksikliği olduğu belirlenmiştir. Çözüm önerileri olarak, toplumda ağız-diş sağlığı hizmetlerine erişimde
engeller yaşayan kesimler olduğunun bilincinde olarak hükümetlerin bu engelleri en aza indirecek sağlık politikaları
oluşturmaları, sağlık sigorta kapsamlarının en azından dezavantajlı bireyler için yükseltilmesi, hizmet sunan
kurumların coğrafi dağılımının erişimi engellemeyecek şekilde planlanması, diş hekimlerine ve ağız-diş sağlığı sağlık
profesyonellerine özel hizmet gereksinimi olan bireyler ve bunlara nasıl yaklaşılması, nasıl tedavi verilmesini
içerecek kurs/eğitimlerin verilmesi önerilebilir.

Keywords

Ağız diş sağlığı, Sağlık hizmetleri, Hizmetlere erişimdeki engeller

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