Kirti Bhatt
Independent Researcher
Himachal Pradesh, India
Abstract
The integration of oral health data into electronic health records (EHRs) presents a vital opportunity to advance comprehensive patient care by bridging the gap between dental and general health information systems. While EHRs have transformed the storage and exchange of medical data, the inclusion of dental records has lagged due to a lack of interoperability, differing clinical terminologies, and siloed data infrastructures. This paper investigates the potential benefits, barriers, and technical challenges associated with incorporating oral health data into EHRs. Drawing on existing literature, early implementation models, and interoperability standards, the study explores how integrated EHRs can improve diagnostics, treatment planning, and continuity of care. Particular attention is given to the challenges in data standardization, semantic harmonization, and provider workflows. The findings emphasize the need for collaborative policy development, unified health IT standards, and system architecture alignment to fully leverage integrated care delivery.
Keywords
Oral health, Electronic Health Records, Interoperability, Health IT, Dental informatics, Data integration, Semantic interoperability, Clinical workflows
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