The 2024 oral health needs assessment aims to improve access to oral health (OH) services in New York State (NYS) by identifying areas with the highest OH needs and addressing access barriers, particularly for underserved and vulnerable populations. This study adopts a community-centric approach, analyzing OH and social indicators at the rational service area (RSA) level to provide a comprehensive understanding of OH needs. The findings advocate for policy changes to expand the OH workforce, in order to benefit low-income populations, children, individuals with disabilities, and the elderly. The assessment involved creating RSAs based on demographic and socio-economic factors, collecting and analyzing relevant data, and ranking RSAs based on a composite OH need score.
Citation: Harun N, Kang B, Fernando T, Surdu S. Oral Health Needs Assessment for New York State, 2024. Rensselaer, NY: Center for Health Workforce Studies, University at Albany, School of Public Health; July 2024.