*What is Dental Health Literacy?

*Dental health literacy is the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate oral health decisions. Health literacy is a shared function of individual patient skills, ability of a provider to communicate effectively and accurately, and the informational demands placed on patients by health care systems. Patients are being asked to take a more active role in health care decisions. To accomplish this, they need adequate health literacy for the situation, and professionals play an integral role in helping patients achieve this.Read more

*From American Dental Association Community Brief Late November 2007, Issue 9 Volume 4