Depression in Our Patients & in Us: Oral Healthcare Providers’ Untapped Potential in the Intervention of Depression Part 1

Prolonged depression can be devastating ― impacting both physical and emotional health, including increased risk for alcohol or drug addiction, trouble with school or work, problems with family relationships, social isolation, excess weight gain, self mutilation, and suicide. One in six people will experience depression at some time in their life. These statistics suggest that during a typical day of practice, oral healthcare providers will see 3-4 patients whose lives have been touched by depression, whether in the past or in the present, or those who have risk factors for yet-manifested depression. As primary care providers, dentists and dental hygienists may be the provider first-in-line to intercept patients with depression and refer those at risk to physicians and/or behavioral healthcare providers.

This course begins with a brief overview of depression’s signs and symptoms, common types of depression, discussion of the stress, anxiety, depression continuum, depression risk factors, and the escalating prevalence of depression (including the impact of Covid-19). We’ll explore the biologic and behavioral mechanisms that link stress and depression to caries and periodontal disease, in addition to the dental office as the ideal setting to intercept depression. In response to the question, “Why screen?”, we’ll look at why the dental setting is an ideal setting for intercepting depression. The PHQ-2 tool will be introduced and suggested as a simple tool to preliminarily screen for depression. Also presented will be a model for bi-lateral point-of-care screening and referral between oral and behavioral healthcare providers. Everything we discuss can be fully implemented tomorrow.