Dental hygienists in Arizona to educate patients using mobile app
Posted: February 12, 2015
A.T. Still University’s Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health (ATSU-ASDOH) and Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation have teamed-up to raise awareness about the importance of oral health and to introduce flossing as an important part of daily hygiene.
According to the Academy of General Dentistry, flossing daily helps fight gum disease and tooth decay by removing damaging plaque and debris not accessible by toothbrush. Through Text2Floss, a mobile app initiative designed ATSU-ASDOH dental professionals, users are reminded by text message to floss daily and are able to access other oral healthcare tips.
A grant funded by Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation will take the Text2Floss user experience to the next level. Dental hygienists will be assigned to various community health center campuses around Arizona to introduce the mobile app to patients starting March 2015.
The overarching goal is to increase oral health education and improve oral heath behaviors among underserved and vulnerable populations, with a focus on pregnant mothers and children.
By embracing mobile phone technology for public health education, this partnership has the ultimate potential to increase patient-provider communication, encourage patients to actively engage in their own oral healthcare, and positively impact access and health outcomes throughout Arizona.