Health literacy 1 article

Health literacy is a person's ability to find, understand, evaluate and use health information and services when making decisions. In dentistry it affects comprehension of prevention advice, consent discussions, medication instructions, appointment systems, costs and treatment choices, especially when language or numeracy creates additional barriers. Low health literacy should not be treated as a patient deficit alone; clear communication, accessible forms, teach-back and service design can make oral-health information easier for people with different skills and backgrounds to use.