Research Study2025

Oral health needs of unhoused individuals in Greater Louisville, KY: a pilot study of a mobile dental initiative.

Hoover, Terrell Dean; Schroeder, Jeremy; Raj, Sruthi; Barker, Mary Lee; Chen, Qi

Dental/Oral Health
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Authors
Hoover, Terrell Dean; Schroeder, Jeremy; Raj, Sruthi; Barker, Mary Lee; Chen, Qi
Journal
Dentistry Review
Year
2025
Study design
Program Description/Commentary
Setting
Urban
Population
Unhoused
Outcome domain
Clinical Outcomes
Type of organization
Academic

Abstract

We examined the oral health needs of 252 unhoused adults using a mobile dental bus in Greater Louisville, KY. The mean age was 40 years; 74% were male. The mean DMFT was 14.7, with a mean of 5.1 decayed teeth, 4.0 missing teeth, and 5.6 filled teeth. 33.7% had at least one dental emergency during the study. These findings underscore the significant oral health needs of this population and the potential role of mobile clinics.

Cite this study:Hoover, Terrell Dean; Schroeder, Jeremy; Raj, Sruthi; Barker, Mary Lee; Chen, Qi (2025). Oral health needs of unhoused individuals in Greater Louisville, KY: a pilot study of a mobile dental initiative. Dentistry Review. https://doi.org/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40186838/
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Metadata curated by Mission Mobile Medical. Full text is available from the publisher via the DOI link above.