The importance of recording mental health history – a case report

Until recently, dentists were not trained in psychology and access to education in psychiatry and mental health remained limited within the dental curriculum. A major obstacle for integrating mental health initiatives into primary healthcare services is the lack of consensus on a definition of mental health. Currently, there is widespread use of the term ‘mental health’ as a euphemism for ‘mental illness’. Mental health can be defined as the absence of mental disease, or it can be defined as a state of being that also includes the biological, psychological or social factors which contribute to an individualu0027s mental state and ability to function within the environment. This lack of consensus on the definition of mental health has implications for research, policy and practice. Mental health issues will impact significantly upon many aspects of patientsu0027 health, including: seeking care, presentation, compliance with treatment and providing additional complexities in delivering routine care. Significant iss...