Abstract
Background: The Dental and Oral Health Promotion Law of Japan was passed in August 2011. Meanwhile, dental and oral health promotion laws at the prefectural level have been rapidly increasing in the past few years. This is in part due to the appearance of numerous research studies showing a strong relationship between oral and general health. This means that when planning and implementing healthcare policy, oral and general health must be considered in an integrated way. However, while the need for such integration is widely recognized, implementation and evaluation are still in the beginning stages.
Contents: Oral health evaluation consists of (1) health education and health policy, (2) oral health behavior, (3) oral diseases and oral function, and (4) general health impact. Patients are generally seen by dental professionals only, so medical and general healthcare professionals have limited understanding of the methods used in oral healthcare settings. In order to improve oral health at the personal, institutional, or community level, coordination between dental and general healthcare professionals is needed. Health risk reduction, health promotion, and health education are becoming more and more critical.
Conclusion: This article proposes a new conceptual framework for the evaluation of overall oral health. The primary benefit of this framework is that it will contribute to increased effectiveness and efficiency in the practice of healthcare. The establishment of a system is urgently needed, which integrates the various fields related to oral health and which provides a framework for research and implementation.
