Cultural Competency: How To Incorporate Different Cultural Beliefs And Practices Into The Dental Hygiene Process Of Care

The Institute of Medicine’s 2011 “Advancing Oral Health in America” published a report in which it acknowledges the importance of improving cultural competence of the dental workforce. Combining culturally-sensitive assessment strategies with the dental hygiene process of care allows clinicians to integrate a culture-specific competency into the traditional care plan. The failure to develop these skills may compromise the quality of and access to care, limit patient resources, threaten patient safety, and perpetuate oral health disparities.