Database of Health Workforce Innovations
704
The Evolving Role of Dental Responders on Interprofessional Emergency Response Teams
During Hurricane Katrina, 11 hospitals and numerous dental offices in New Orleans,
LA, were flooded. In Mississippi, the storm damaged another 14 hospitals and 3 federal medical facilities and caused partial or complete damage to more than 60% of dental practices in the affected counties. The storm affected dentists on a personal level as well; a reported 44 dentists in Mississippi lost their homes as a result of the hurricane. As such, these problems can be magnified when dental and medical personnel and facilities are situated in the area of the disaster.
LA, were flooded. In Mississippi, the storm damaged another 14 hospitals and 3 federal medical facilities and caused partial or complete damage to more than 60% of dental practices in the affected counties. The storm affected dentists on a personal level as well; a reported 44 dentists in Mississippi lost their homes as a result of the hurricane. As such, these problems can be magnified when dental and medical personnel and facilities are situated in the area of the disaster.
Oral health providers have the capacity to respond to disasters, provide immunizations, and provide triage care.21 Over the past decade, selected states and the US Congress have passed legislation that has defined the dental responder and has expanded the legal authority of oral health care providers to serve in such first responder activities.
The 2013 reauthorization of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA) gives dentists and dental hygienists the legal authority to support national emergency, disaster, and forensic needs by providing clinical care and infrastructure for “walking well” care, pandemic vaccination support, biometric information, and forensic dentistry.
The 2013 reauthorization of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA) gives dentists and dental hygienists the legal authority to support national emergency, disaster, and forensic needs by providing clinical care and infrastructure for “walking well” care, pandemic vaccination support, biometric information, and forensic dentistry.
- Solidarity staffing (eg deployments to/from other jurisdictions)
- Cross-sector staff deployments
- New roles
- Expanded roles
- Dental Providers
The number of natural, pandemic, man-made (anthropogenic), and terrorism-related events are increasing worldwide. These events are multifactorial, but are heavily influenced by increased population growth, increasing urbanization of populations, and global climate disruptions and their influence on societal well-being.
Traditional first responder activities have typically been performed by public health
professionals such as physicians, nurses, physician assistants, and emergency medical technicians. Dental professionals, however, have long served in civilian and military first responder capacities during natural disasters, anthropogenic disasters, and pandemic events, assisting various investigative and law enforcement agencies when processing missing people and identifying anthropological remains.
Traditional first responder activities have typically been performed by public health
professionals such as physicians, nurses, physician assistants, and emergency medical technicians. Dental professionals, however, have long served in civilian and military first responder capacities during natural disasters, anthropogenic disasters, and pandemic events, assisting various investigative and law enforcement agencies when processing missing people and identifying anthropological remains.
- Community Health Services
- Emergency Medical Services
- Primary Health Care
- Public Health
Legislation throughout the US (at both the state and federal level) has evolved to include dental responders as part of emergency response teams Three key changes were introduced in the PAHPA, which defined the inclusion of oral health care providers in
Formal Policy
Colvard, M. D., Vesper, B. J., Kaste, L. M., Hirst, J. L., Peters, D. E., James, J., Villalobos, R., & Wipfler, E. J., 3rd (2016). The Evolving Role of Dental Responders on Interprofessional Emergency Response Teams. Dental clinics of North America, 60(4)
Michael D. Colvard, DDS, PhD, MTS, MS
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Department of Oral Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, Dental Medicine Responder Training Office, College of Dentistry, University of Illinois at Chicago
United States
USA