Role of family physicians in maintaining oral health and wellness

Abstract

The family physician's role is to provide whole-body care across all age groups irrespective of the organ system. They provide preventive, promotive, and curative care to families and communities. Due to the traditional fragmentation of the health-care education system, mouth and oral health do not fall into one discipline. Family physicians are positioned uniquely within the health system where they can play a very important role in the provision of oral health care. Family physicians by virtue of their experience and training are capable of screening and providing care a multisystemic approach. They have a continuity of care relationship with the patients and families. And families visit their family doctors multiple times for multiple health problems. During contact with family, physicians have the opportunity to peep into the window of the body – the oral cavity.

Keywords

• dental health
• diseases of mouth
• family physician
• oral cancers
• oral health
• role of family medicine