introduction C D A J O U R N A L , V O L 4 9 , Nº 12
More Than Words: Reframing Our Approach to Oral Health Literacy Lindsey A. Robinson, DDS, and Nicole Holland, DDS, MS
GUEST EDITORS Lindsey A. Robinson, DDS, is a board-certified pediatric dentist and has maintained a dental practice in Grass Valley, Calif., since 1996. She has served on the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine Roundtable on Health Literacy as an oral health representative since 2013. Conflict of Interest Disclosure: None reported.
Nicole Holland, DDS, MS, is an assistant professor and the director of health communication, education and promotion in the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine’s Department of Public Health and Community Service. Her research interests include the intersection of health literacy, language access and oral health as well as the impact of oral health messaging in the media. Conflict of Interest Disclosure: None reported.
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he intersection of health literacy, health equity and oral health is bursting with opportunities to enact change for a better future for our patients, communities and nation. As stated in both the foundational principles and overarching goals of the most recent release of the national health promotion and disease prevention initiative Healthy People 2030: Achieving health and well-being requires eliminating health disparities, achieving health equity and attaining health literacy.1 Of note, 15 oral healthrelated objectives have been identified to facilitate achieving those goals.2 Building from the definitions of personal and organizational health literacy referenced from Healthy People 2030,3 this issue of the Journal of the California Dental Association takes a unique look at how oral health organizations can play a critical role at the intersection of health literacy and health equity. The authors offer rich perspectives with key takeaways, including concrete action
steps and useful resources. It is our hope that readers will finish this issue catalyzed and ready to affect change in their respective practices and organizations. The issue kicks off with the article “Organizational Health Literacy in Oral Health: A Multilevel Perspective” by the team led by Dr. Lindsay Rosenfeld. The authors make a compelling argument for how organizational health literacy can be used to reach oral health and health equity goals. By presenting best practice examples across national, state and community levels, the authors elucidate the crucial role of oral health organizations in driving system-level changes and challenge readers to consider how an organizational health literacy approach can help improve the oral health of our patients and communities. A system-level approach would be remiss without considering the significance of linguistic diversity in our communities and the ways in which language barriers impact the provision of equitable oral health care services, D ECEMBER 2 0 2 1
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