Provision of oral health actions and services in rural areas: scope review

Abstract

Resumo Objective. To identify and analyse strategies to ensure access to oral health (OH) services and interventions for populations living in rural areas. Methods. A scoping review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and the PRISMA-ScR reporting guidelines. Using the Population, Concept, and Context (PCC) framework, evidence on strategies to improve access to oral health care in rural settings was mapped. Searches were performed in MEDLINE via PubMed, Embase via Elsevier, and the Virtual Health Library (VHL). A total of 39 studies published between 2014 and 2024 were included after systematic screening and structured data extraction. Results. Most of the included studies were conducted in the United States and Australia. The review identified seven literature reviews and 32 empirical studies. Thematic analysis revealed seven categories representing the main strategies to improve oral health care delivery in rural contexts: expanding the scope of oral health practices in Primary Health Care; school-based interventions; mobile and outreach services; hybrid models of care and partnership agreements; digital health; oral health education; and strategies to recruit and retain the oral health workforce. Conclusions. The identified interventions and services have the potential to improve access to oral health care in rural areas. However, their effectiveness and long-term sustainability depend on adequate structural conditions and institutional support.