This special issue of CDA—the journal of the California Dental Association—focuses on oral health literacy. It came out in December 2021 and includes the following articles:
- More Than Words: Reforming Our Approach to Oral Health Literacy. This piece by Lindsey Robinson and Nicole Holland discusses the intersection of health literacy, health equity, and oral health and introduces the special issue.
- Organizational Health Literacy in Oral Health: A Multilevel Perspective. This commentary by Lindsay Rosenfeld et al. argues that organizational health literacy can improve oral health literacy and health equity. It includes examples of oral health literacy best practices.
- A Historical Overview of Language Access in Dentistry: The Impact of Language Access Protections on Oral Health Care. This article by Nicole Holland gives a brief history of language access policy and its impact on dentistry. It also outlines steps dental providers can take to build equitable, quality care for their patients and communities.
- Oral Health Literacy Framework: The Pathway to Improved Oral Health. This article by Francisco Ramos-Gomez and Tamanna Tiwari offers a conceptual framework for oral health literacy and its impact on health outcomes. The framework includes language, culture, and other factors.
- UCLA-Sesame Street Collaboration To Improve Children’s Oral Health. This paper by James Crall et al. describes a collaboration between the University of California Los Angeles and Sesame Street. The partnership resulted in an evidence-based children’s oral health awareness campaign.
- Innovative Health Literacy Strategy Advances Health Equity: Perspectives of the Cambridge Health Alliance Past and Present Department Chiefs. In this commentary, Ryan Lee and Brian Swann share their experience heading the dental department of Cambridge Health Alliance, a safety-net healthcare system. They discuss how fundamental health literacy principles affect the delivery of equitable dental care and services.