Keywords

Oral health access; Ethnic minority older adults; Dental care disparities; Health equity; Social determinants of health; United States

Abstract

Oral healthcare is a critical yet often overlooked component of overall health among U.S. adults. Ethnic minorities for older adults face heightened risks of poor oral health and related health conditions, while experiencing disparities in access to care. This study aimed to systematically examine and synthesize existing literature to assess the extent to which oral health disparities exist among ethnic minority older adults in the U.S. and explore the roles of socioeconomic factors on these disparities. Guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework, we conducted a systematic review of peer-reviewed articles published in English between 2015 and 2025, using electronic databases such as PubMed, ProQuest, and EBSCOhost. The initial search yielded 3,187 unduplicated articles. After excluding articles based on title and abstract screening, 55 articles were reviewed in full text and were included in the qualitative synthesis. The findings revealed three primary barriers to oral healthcare among ethnic minority older adults, including systemic inequities in oral healthcare, cultural and linguistic barriers between providers and patients, and limited education and access specific to this population. These results underscore the need to improve access to care, implement culturally responsive provider training programs, and develop targeted educational resources to address oral health disparities among this underserved population.

Thesis Completion Year

2026

Thesis Completion Semester

Spring

Thesis Chair

Xiaochuan Wang

College

College of Health Professions and Sciences

Department

Social Work

Thesis Discipline

Social Work

Language

English

Access Status

Open Access

Length of Campus Access

None

Campus Location

Orlando (Main) Campus

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Rights Statement

In Copyright