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What is considered preventive care?
Preventive care is a regular checkup that is separate from sickness or injury. Preventative care appointments are typically once a year. They can include a physical exam, screening tests, vaccines, and education [Center for Disease Control (CDC)].
Things like age, medical history, sex, and current health status are considered when deciding what kind of screenings or tests may be needed at preventive care appointments. [Cleveland Clinic]
For dental care, dental cleaning, and an exam every six months are considered typical preventative dental care. Education about proper brushing, flossing, etc. is also considered part of the preventative care process.
Preventative care for vision is getting your annual eye exam. During this routine exam, healthcare providers can not only determine if a new prescription is needed, but also check for things like cataracts, glaucoma, and more.
What are the four reasons why we should focus on prevention?
- Keep track of your overall wellness
- Prevent common illnesses, infections, and diseases
- Keep up to date on screenings and tests
- Catch health problems in the earliest stages
Why is preventive care important? | Why are medical checkups important?
Preventative care is important because it can often allow medical professionals to catch problems before they turn it to larger, more complex issues.
Even if you think you don’t need a checkup, healthcare professionals may find issues you did not know about. For example, one in three adults with high blood pressure (hypertension) do not know they have it [National Institutes of Health].
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How often should you get routine checkups at the doctor?
The need for regular checkups differs. For patients in their 20s, wellness exams are recommended every three years. Patients 50 years old and older should get an annual wellness exam [Cleveland Clinic].
This recommendation may not apply to those with certain health conditions. Follow your primary care doctor’s directive on how frequently to have a wellness exam.
Wellness exams can be performed by a healthcare provider at a RAM Clinic. If you do not have a primary care provider, cannot afford an appointment, or do not have insurance, RAM Clinics may be a good choice for you. Check our schedule to find a RAM free clinic near you.
Why is getting regular medical and dental checkups important? | What is the importance of regular medical checkups in disease prevention?
As mentioned above, preventive care allows issues to be discovered before they can become more problematic. This can be discovered through tests and screenings, such as blood work, checking blood pressure, glucose levels, and more.
Similarly, dental checkups are important because they allow dental professionals to recognize problems with the teeth and gums before they progress and become irreversible. By examining the teeth and gums, using x-rays, and other diagnostic tools.
Cavities, gum disease, tooth decay, and much more, can only be confirmed by dental professionals. Dental professionals are also trained to look for early signs of oral cancer. During biannual preventive exams, these problems can be addressed before they require serious interventions like fillings, crowns, or even extractions and root canals.
How does preventive care save lives? | Why are preventive screenings important?
Preventive care saves lives by stopping, controlling, or preventing health problems from getting worse.
While you cannot control things like family history, you can monitor yourself and keep an eye out for signs and symptoms that may relate to your family history. If you have a family history of a disease or condition, you have a higher likelihood of getting it yourself. It’s important to let your primary care provider know your family history [CDC].
If you show signs and symptoms of a disease, or have a family history of it, your doctor may be able to order specific scans and tests for you.
Primary care providers can recommend screenings for cancer. Including breast cancer, cervical cancer, colon cancer, and lung cancer. These cancers have a better survival rate the earlier they are caught, and the earlier treatment can begin. Catching cancer early may offer the best chance of survival.
What is the main focus of preventive care?
The main focus of preventive health care is to prevent illness, infection, and diseases. If health problems are discovered by the healthcare provider, the focus of preventive care shifts to treating the issue in its earliest stages.
Preventive care exists to keep us healthy, ensure we are managing our health, and to prevent issues from developing or worsening over time.
How does RAM help with preventive care?
Medical professionals at our pop-up clinics and telehealth clinics can perform checkups and provide preventive care. RAM is holding more than 200 events around the country this year. We aim to serve patients in need of free dental, vision, and medical care, breaking down barriers to care across the country.
If you or someone you know could benefit from a RAM Clinic, whether it is for preventive care, or something else, please check our schedule to find a RAM free clinic near you.
Who is RAM®?
RAM is a nonprofit organization that brings free dental, vision, and medical care to those in need across the country. All of the doctors, dentists, nurses, optometrists, etc. at a RAM Clinic are volunteers. They dedicate their time helping support their community. Along with our general support volunteers, we are able to care for tens of thousands of patients annually. If you would like to volunteer with us, please visit our website.
RAM does not receive any federal funding; we are supported entirely by the generosity of private donors, corporate sponsors, and private grants. If you would like to donate to support our cause, we would like to encourage you to become a monthly donor. Your support means the world to not only us, but to our patients as well.
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