Editing Dental Public Health (section)

==Core Functions==
DPH professionals typically operate based on three core pillars of public health:

===1. Assessment===
* '''[[Epidemiology]]''': Monitoring the prevalence and incidence of oral diseases (e.g., [[dental caries]] and [[periodontitis]]) within a specific demographic.
* '''Surveillance''': Tracking oral health trends over time to identify emerging disparities.

===2. Policy Development===
* Advocating for legislation that promotes oral health, such as taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages or mandatory dental screenings for schoolchildren.
* Establishing clinical guidelines and standards of care for public clinics.

===3. Assurance===
* Ensuring that the community has access to cost-effective and high-quality oral healthcare.
* Managing public dental programs and community health centers.