Within society, we see major disparities in oral health between various groups of people. Not everyone knows how important oral health is. How can the disparity be reduced?
Monique van der Veen, Professor of Preventive Dentistry at ACTA, uses participatory action research to investigate how specific target groups can best be helped.
Disparities in oral health are usually related to socioeconomic position, migration background, the presence of systemic diseases or disabilities, and age.
It appears that current interventions offered are not appropriate for specific target groups or do not reach them. In close cooperation with these specific target groups and public social organisations, interventions are being designed that match the needs of the target group and are supported by them.
All target groups are involved in this research. These include children, parents, caregivers, informal caregivers, general practitioners, specialists, nurses, dieticians and oral care professionals. Also involved are policy makers at the local, regional and national levels, health insurers, supermarkets, food producers, schools, sports clubs and community centres.