Challenges Connecting Emergency Department Patients with Oral Health Care: A Qualitative Analysis of Patients, Emergency Department Clinicians, and Dentists

Background: Unmet dental need shares many risk factors with unmet health-related social needs (HRSN) such as housing and food security and are a common cause for seeking treatment at the emergency department (ED).

Methods: The authors recruited a purposive sample of English-speaking and Spanish-speaking patients, ED clinicians at 3 urban EDs, and dentists from nearby communities to participate in qualitative interviews to explore barriers to and facilitators of screening for HRSN and unmet dental needs in the ED. Themes were identified from transcripts using a modified grounded theory approach.

Results: Interviews were conducted with 25 ED patients, 19 ED clinicians, and 4 dentists. Four themes were identified: (1) a preference for formalized resources, which more frequently exist for HRSN than for oral health; (2) frequent use of ad hoc resources that are less reliable or structured, particularly for dental referral information; (3) limited knowledge of oral health care resources in the community; and (4) desire for more assistance with identifying and addressing resource needs for both HRSN and oral health. Patients were amenable to screening through a variety of modalities and felt it would be helpful, but clinicians emphasized the need for easier referral processes because of frequent failure to connect patients to oral health care.

Conclusions: More robust infrastructure and clinician support are needed to ensure successful referral and screening without undue provider burden for both medical and dental clinicians.

Practical Implications: Patients are amenable to screening for unmet oral health needs and HRSN in the ED, which may improve access to care.