HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (4) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Sekiguchi, E. Articles by Spangler, T. J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Sekiguchi, E. Articles by Spangler, T. J., Jr Related Collections Dental/Oral Health Access to Care Native Americans

Eugene Sekiguchi, DDS, Albert H. Guay, DMD, L. Jackson Brown, DDS, PhD and Thomas J. Spangler, Jr, JD

The authors are with the American Dental Association, Chicago, IL.

Correspondence: Reprint requests should be addressed to Albert H. Guay, American Dental Association, 211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611–2678 (e-mail: guaya{at}ada.org).

There is a high prevalence of oral disease in the Alaska Native population, much of which goes untreated, creating a large discrepancy between the level of their oral health and that of the general population. The causes of this discrepancy are multiple—a major cause being the lack of access to care, especially in remote Alaska Native villages.

Improving the oral health status of Alaska Natives will require treatment of current disease and initiation of an effective program to prevent oral disease. Cooperation between the Alaska Native organizations, dental health aides, the dental profession, and the government will be important.

A strategy that combines addressing the disease currently present and preventing the occurrence of disease in the long run is the only strategy that offers a sustainable solution.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				K. A. Bolin Assessment of Treatment Provided by Dental Health Aide Therapists in Alaska: A Pilot Study J Am Dent Assoc, November 1, 2008; 139(11): 1530 - 1535. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. McKinnon, G. Luke, J. Bresch, M. Moss, and R. W. Valachovic Emerging allied dental workforce models: considerations for academic dental institutions. J Dent Educ., November 1, 2007; 71(11): 1476 - 1491. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Campbell, H. F. Pollick, K. M. Lituri, A. M. Horowitz, J. Brown, J. A. Janssen, K. Yoder, R. I. Garcia, A. Deinard, S. Hemphill, et al. IMPROVING THE ORAL HEALTH OF ALASKA NATIVES Am J Public Health, November 1, 2005; 95(11): 1880 - 1880. [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Allukian Jr, M. E. Bird, and C. A. Evans Jr APHA PRESIDENTS SUPPORT DENTAL THERAPISTS Am J Public Health, November 1, 2005; 95(11): 1880 - 1881. [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. I. GARCIA Addressing oral health disparities in diverse populations J Am Dent Assoc, September 1, 2005; 136(9): 1210 - 1212. [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Lillie-Blanton and Y. Roubideaux Understanding and Addressing the Health Care Needs of American Indians and Alaska Natives Am J Public Health, May 1, 2005; 95(5): 759 - 761. [Full Text] [PDF]