An FQHC Research Network in Oral Health: Enhancing the Workforce and Reducing Disparities

Abstract

Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) contribute greatly to reducing health disparities by providing care to underserved communities. Yet these safety-net clinics face chronic manpower shortages and turnover. Practice-Based Research Networks aid in translating medical science from bench to clinical practice. These networks have been used to understand and improve health-care delivery and reduce disparities. Initiatives to strengthen lagging translational research in dentistry have begun, but there is no FQHC research network that addresses oral health.

This article reviews the potential for, and outlines a model of, an Oral Health FQHC Research Network. It characterizes the needs for an FQHC research network, describes a successful FQHC research-oriented program, and outlines an Oral Health FQHC Research Network conceptual model. It argues that strengthening FQHCs through involvement of their dental staff in clinical research may enhance their jobs, draw staff closer to the community, and strengthen their ability to reduce health disparities.

References

Forrest

Whelan

. Primary care safety-net delivery sites in the United States: a comparison of community health centers, hospital outpatient departments, and physician offices. JAMA 2000; 284:2077–83.

Politzer

Yoon

Shi

Hughes

Regan

Gaston

. Inequality in America: the contribution of health centers in reducing and eliminating disparities in access to care. Med Care Res Rev 2001; 58:234–48.

Department of Health and Human Services (US). Oral health in America: a report of the Surgeon General. 2000 [cited 2005 Jun 7]. Available from: URL: http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/oralhealth

Rosenblatt

Andrilla

Curtin

Hart

. Shortages of medical personnel at community health centers: implications for planned expansion. JAMA 2006; 295:1042–9.

Nutting

Beasley

Werner

. Practice-based research networks answer primary care questions. JAMA 1999; 281:686–8.

Mold

Peterson

. Primary care practice-based research networks: working at the interface between research and quality improvement. Ann Fam Med 2005; 3 Suppl 1:S12–20.

Byck

Cooksey

Russinof

. Safety-net dental clinics. J Am Dent Assoc 2005; 136:1013–21.

Milgrom

Garcia

Ismail

Katz

Weintraub

. Improving America's access to care: the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research addresses oral health disparities. J Am Dent Assoc 2004; 135:1389–96.

Green

Dovey

. Practice based primary care research networks: they work and are ready for full development and support. BMJ 2001; 322:567–8.

10.

National Association of Community Health Centers, Inc., 2006. Based on Bureau of Primary Health Care, HRSA, DHHS, 2005 Uniform Data System [cited 2007 May 10]. Available from: URL: http://www.nachc.com/research/Files/USfactsheet.pdf

11.

Patrick

Lee

RSY

Nucci

Grembowski

Jolles

Milgrom

. Reducing oral health disparities: a focus on social and cultural determinants. BMC Oral Health 2006; 6 Suppl 1:S4.

12.

YVFWC Report to Our Communities [cited 2007 Feb 20]. Available from: URL: http://www.yvfwc.com/images_YV/RTC.06.pdf

13.

University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine. Community-based research principles [cited 2006 Jul 17]. Available from: URL: http://sphcm.washington.edu/research/community.asp

14.

Green

White

Barry

Nease

Jr Hudson

. Infrastructure requirements for practice-based research networks. Ann Fam Med 2005; 3 Suppl 1:S5–11.

15.

Department of Health and Human Services (US). Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. RFA-HS-05-011, Small research grants for primary care Practice-Based Research Networks (PBRNs) [cited 2006 Jan 10]. Available from: URL: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-HS-05-011.html

16.

Department of Health and Human Services (US). National Institute of Health/National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. RFA-DE-05-006, General Dental Practice-Based Research Network [cited 2005 Dec 21]. Available from: URL: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-DE-05-006.html

17.

Ramos-Gomez

Cruz

Watson

Canto

Boneta

. Latino oral health: a research agenda toward eliminating oral health disparities. J Am Dent Assoc 2005; 136:1231–40.