Health Literacy Initiative Combats Dental Misinformation Through Student Engagement

In an era where health misinformation spreads rapidly across digital platforms, the National Advisory Committee on Health Literacy in Dentistry is taking proactive steps to ensure patients can make informed decisions about their oral health care.

The committee, which advises the American Dental Association’s Council on Advocacy for Access and Prevention, comprises health literacy experts and practicing dentists focused on improving communication between dental professionals and their patients.

“Health literacy is a crucial defense against the spread of oral health misinformation because it allows us as clinicians to be confident that patients actually understand the information we share with them,” explained Dr. Shailee Gupta, who chairs the advisory committee.

According to the ADA’s definition, oral health literacy represents an individual’s ability to obtain, process, and understand basic health information necessary to make appropriate dental care decisions. This skill has become increasingly important as misinformation about dental treatments and products proliferates online.

The committee has identified vulnerable populations with lower health literacy—often resulting from language barriers, socioeconomic factors, or educational disparities—as particularly susceptible to misinformation. By addressing these gaps, the initiative aims to promote health equity while ensuring all patients can critically evaluate dental health claims.

One of the committee’s flagship programs is an annual health literacy video contest targeting dental students. This year’s competition challenges future dental professionals to address common misconceptions about fluoride, dental X-rays, alternative practices like oil pulling, and trendy products such as charcoal toothpaste.

“The health literacy video contest helps dental students build the skills and confidence they need to properly communicate oral health education, address misinformation and share credible resources with patients before they become practicing dentists,” Dr. Gupta noted. The contest, sponsored by Colgate, accepts submissions through September 30.

By participating in the contest, dental students gain valuable experience with health literacy principles, including the teach-back method—a communication technique where patients explain information back to providers to confirm understanding. This approach helps students fulfill academic requirements related to patient communication while developing practical skills in a collaborative environment.

Beyond student engagement, the committee has established partnerships with allied health organizations to extend oral health education to non-dental healthcare providers. These collaborations recognize the interconnectedness of oral health with overall physical wellbeing.

Notable interdisciplinary projects include a dental assessment tool developed for the National Association of School Nurses to assist with emergency dental triage and referrals. The committee also created a dental directory for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists that outlines common dental conditions and appropriate specialist referrals.

“Even our medical colleagues want to know more about oral health, and the resources we develop need to be easily understood without being ‘heavy’ with technical jargon,” Dr. Gupta emphasized.

The committee is currently reviewing the literacy levels of materials about wisdom tooth management and oral cancer guidelines for the American College of Emergency Physicians’ point-of-care tools, ensuring critical information remains accessible across medical disciplines.

In another significant development, committee members have secured grant funding to develop a national version of the California Oral Health Literacy Toolkit. Originally created by Health Research for Action, a research center at UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health, in partnership with California’s Department of Public Health, the toolkit provides practical strategies for enhancing oral health literacy within dental practices.

“Dentists can support patients’ efforts to improve their oral health by using strategies that make the dental office environment friendly and health care system easier to navigate,” Dr. Gupta said.

The ADA offers additional health literacy resources for dental professionals on its website, including information about the student video contest and other educational materials designed to improve patient-provider communication.