Socioeconomic vulnerability and access to community water fluoridation in Washington.

Background: The aim of the authors was to determine whether socioeconomic vulnerability is associated with community water fluoridation (CWF).

Methods: The authors used US Census Bureau data to create 4 county-level vulnerability markers (percentages non-White, Hispanic or Latino, below the federal poverty threshold, education below high school), obtained county-level CWF data from the Washington State Department of Health, and evaluated associations using Spearman rank correlation coefficient and the Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test. The authors then interviewed 122 community members in Washington (December 2022-March 2023) and analyzed the interview data inductively.

Introducing dental students to dental public health: An analysis of US predoctoral course syllabi.

Dental public health competencies in predoctoral dental education ensure that students have the skills to succeed in an increasingly complex professional environment. This study examined existing public health curricula in US dental education and their alignment with national recommendations from the American Association of Public Health Dentistry (AAPHD) and guidance from the Healthy People Curriculum Task Force for health professions education programs. We contacted all US dental schools (N = 66) in November 2020-January 202 and requested syllabi for schools' first course with dental public health content.