JCDA - Canadian Dental Association

––– News & Updates –––
Table 1 Chinese immigrants’ beliefs with respect to caries and “swollen gums” (adapted from Dong and
others 4 )
Chinese patients’ perception Dental caries “Swollen gums”
Perceived etiology Oral hygiene
Food
Genetics
Perceived pathological process Irreversible Reversible
Perceived means of prevention Improve oral hygiene
Avoid sweet food
Consult dentist regularly
Local factors: oral hygiene
General factors: Internal fire
Local factors: improve oral hygiene
General factors: rest, avoid stress,
eat well
Perceived treatment needed Consult dentist Local factors: antibiotics, consult dentist
General factors: take herbs (Xiguashuang)
• Conclusion: These results exemplify integration related to oral health-related beliefs, as the
persons interviewed valued both their ancestral medical culture and the medical culture of
Canada, their host country. They cannot be generalized because:
a) the sample is not representative of the population
b) the acculturation process may take different forms in other contexts.
Conclusions and recommendations for oral health professionals
• Be open to the culture and the oral health beliefs of the immigrant patients.
• Try to understand and respect each patient’s perception of oral health and illness.
• Be realistic and find common ground when defining the treatment plan.
Dr. Bedos is an associate professor in the division of oral health and society, faculty of dentistry, McGill University, Montreal,
Quebec.
References
1. Statistics Canada. 2001 Census: analysis series. Canada’s ethnocultural portrait: the changing mosaic. Ottawa: Statistics Canada.
Minister of Industry; 2003. Report No.: 96F0030XIE2001008.
2. Berry JW. Immigration, acculturation, and adaptation. Applied Psychology: An International Review 1997; 46:5–68.
3. Brown JB, Stewart M, Weston WW, Freeman TR. Introduction. In: Stewart M, Brown JB, Weston WW, McWhinney IR, McWilliam
CL, Freeman TR, editors. Patient-centered medicine. Transforming the clinical method. 2nd ed. Oxon (UK): Radcliffe Medical Press;
2003. p. 3–16.
4. Dong M, Loignon C, Levine A, Bedos C. Perceptions of oral illness among Chinese immigrants in Montreal: a qualitative study.
J Dent Educ 2007; 71(10):1340–7.
“issues in Brief” is designed to condense and summarize current clinical research
on important oral health-related issues. these summaries “translate”
clinical articles into a more accessible style to help dental professionals
understand important research findings. if you would like to
contribute to this section, contact editor-in-chief
dr. John o’Keefe at jokeefe@cda-adc.ca.
588 JCDA • www.cda-adc.ca/jcda • September 2008, Vol. 74, No. 7 •