The CDHC pilot project will create a new dental team member trained to improve the oral health of people who, for economic, geographic or cultural reasons, lack access to regular dental care. In their initial phase of training, students complete 12 months of online coursework administered by Rio Salado College in Tempe, Ariz. Upon successfully completing the didactic portion of their training, the students begin six-month internships.
Temple University's Kornberg School of Dentistry trains students to work in inner cities; the University of Oklahoma trains students to serve in remote rural areas. UCLA School of Dentistry hosted the first two cohorts of students training to work in American Indian communities. Students in Cohort 1 completed their coursework in fall 2010. Cohort 2 students, also training at UCLA, will complete their training in fall 2011. The third cohort of students in the American Indian track, who will train in conjunction with ASDOH, will enter the program this month.
"We're excited to open this final phase of the CDHC project," said ADA President Raymond F Gist, DDS. "ASDOH Dean Dr. Jack Dillenberg is committed to creating the best possible learning experience for them. And the school's numerous ties to the American Indian community offer unique opportunities for our students."
ASDOH's Dentistry in the Community program provides services in Apache, Hopi and other American Indian areas in Arizona and New Mexico. The school has the nation's largest contingent of tribally enrolled American Indian Dental students and boasts a 100 percent graduation rate for those students. All of ASDOH's American Indian graduates practice in American Indian Communities.
Dr. Gist also cited the presence of Dr. George Blue Spruce, the nation's first American Indian dentist and a former U.S. assistant surgeon general, who is ASDOH's assistant dean for Indian Affairs, calling him, "an eminent member of the dental community at large and an incalculable asset."
"Cultural competence is a key to the CDHC's success," said Dr. Gist. "Too often, people entering communities with which they aren't familiar can encounter cultural or language barriers that impede their abilities to serve those communities. Among the target population types—urban, remote rural and American Indians, the latter may present the greatest challenges to outsiders. The American Indian CDHC track has always taken this into account, recruiting students from the same communities in which they will serve."
Dr. Gist also praised the faculty and administrators at the UCLA School of Dentistry, who were instrumental in launching the American Indian CDHC track and will complete the course of training for CDHC Cohort 2 this fall. Cohort 1 students completed their coursework at UCLA last year.
About the American Dental Association
The not-for-profit ADA is the nation's largest dental association, representing more than 156,000 dentist members. The premier source of oral health information, the ADA has advocated for the public's health and promoted the art and science of dentistry since 1859. The ADA's state-of-the-art research facilities develop and test dental products and materials that have advanced the practice of dentistry and made the patient experience more positive. The ADA Seal of Acceptance long has been a valuable and respected guide to consumer dental care products. The monthly Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA) is the ADA's flagship publication and the best-read scientific journal in dentistry. For more information about the ADA,
Introduction
Dental professionals may be at risk for exposure to numerous workplace hazards. These hazards include but are not limited to the spectrum of bloodborne pathogens, pharmaceuticals and other chemical agents, human factors, ergonomic hazards, noise, vibration, and workplace violence.
There are currently no specific standards for dentistry. However, exposure to numerous biological, chemical, environmental, physical, and psychological workplace hazards that may apply to dentistry are addressed in specific standards for the general industry.
OSHA Standards
This section highlights OSHA standards, directives (instructions for compliance officers), and standard interpretations (official letters of interpretation of the standards) related to dentistry.
Note: Twenty-five states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have OSHA-approved State Plans and have adopted their own standards and enforcement policies. For the most part, these States adopt standards that are identical to Federal OSHA. However, some States have adopted different standards applicable to this topic or may have different enforcement policies.
Dental Clinic
Most people dread going to the dentist. However, the Fresh Start volunteer dentists and orthodontists are much appreciated by the children who face difficult dental conditions because of a facial deformity or accident. Fresh Start's Dental Clinics are a supplement to Surgery Weekends for our patients (often cleft lip and palate) who have additional dental needs.
The dental volunteers do everything from providing dental health education to boosting the children's self-esteem with a beautiful smile! Fresh Start provides the necessary treatment to children free of charge. The dental work necessary can take from 10 minutes to 45 minutes for braces, while crown and bridge work may require up to a few hours.
Fresh Start serves more than 15 to 30 disadvantaged children at each clinic. The children are often overwhelmed with excitement knowing that they will be able to eat, speak, and smile more easily. Dentists, orthodontists, and their dental assistants kindly volunteer their time at Fresh Start dental clinics twelve times a year.
Welcome to the School of Dentistry at the University of Adelaide.
The School of Dentistry at the University of Adelaide has a long and distinguished history of innovation in its teaching and research. Its programs include the Bachelor of Dental Surgery and the Bachelor of Oral Health together with a range of postgraduate courses. The School also offers to the dental profession an interesting and challenging program of continuing education.
The teaching programs are highly regarded both nationally and internationally. With its intent to remain at the leading edge of best practice, the School is currently undertaking a major review of its undergraduate curricula. It had been expected that this process would have been completed in time to implement the revised curriculum in 2009. However, the need to provide adequate time for staff and stakeholders to consider proposed changes has necessitated a delay until 2010. Nevertheless, the review has identified areas where immediate improvements can be made within the framework of the present curriculum and these will be introduced in 2009. Details about the process, progress and outcomes of this review can be accessed on the Curriculum Development pages.
Dentistry, a lucrative profession, is concerned with all health problems afflicting the mouth, teeth, gums and other hard and soft tissues of the oral cavity. It is accepted as a professional field which includes dental care and correction. Dentists help people maintain their health and appearance.
Dentistry is changing rapidly, creating many opportunities and challenges. To an extent, it includes cosmetology where corrective treatment is involved. Dentists improve patients' appearance by using a wide variety of cosmetic dental procedures.
These days, dentists are assuming very important roles in the whole healthcare system. With an increasing awareness of the importance of oral health and the introduction of new fields like periodontics (care of gums and the diseases that might afflict them), oral pathology (diagnosis for diseases that affect the mouth ) and orthodontics (straightening and aligning teeth and jaws) have all enhanced the scope of this field.
Dentists or dental surgeons provide surgical, medical and other forms of treatment for oral and dental disorders and diseases by examining teeth and mouth of the patients. They treat a diverse group of patients in a variety of settings using a variety of techniques and procedures such as computers and magnetic resonance imaging. This may include filling, crowning and scaling of teeth, extracting teeth, treating gum diseases and fitting artificial replacements where necessary and surgically handling injuries or other irregularities of the teeth and jaw.
Problems dealing with the jaw or any invasive oral procedure are usually undertaken by an oral surgeon. Dentists perform trauma surgery, implants, tissue grafts and laser surgery to correct them. The core function of a dentist is prevention and treatment of diseases related to the oral cavity, including the floor of the oral cavity, the 'roof' of the mouth, teeth, gums, tongue etc. Their job include educating patients about oral hygiene and ways to preserve a healthy mouth and prevent dental problems.
Welcome!
The University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry is located on the Health Sciences Center campus in Oklahoma City. Set in the middle of a beautiful and modern campus, the Dental Clinical Sciences Building is an attractive facility with state-of-the- art clinics and laboratories as part of a warm environment for learning and patient care.
In addition to our dental and dental hygiene programs, the college offers graduate and residency programs in advanced general dentistry, orthodontics, periodontics, and oral and maxillofacial surgery. The OU College of Dentistry offers the opportun ity to blend science, human relations, and technical skills into a satisfying profession. If you are considering a career in dentistry, we invite you to carefully examine The University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry. The College is prepared to provid e you with a dental education second to none.
The founding of the New York University College of Dentistry (NYUCD) in 1865 marked the first successful attempt to establish a dental school in New York State. Throughout its history, NYUCD has continued to be a school of “firsts.” Examples include pioneering the use of the X-ray, establishing the first formal departments of endodontics, pediatric dentistry, and implant dentistry, and the first family practice program at a U.S. dental school, the first Oral Cancer Consortium in the U.S, the first completely digitalized dental school curriculum, the first dental school to mandate terrorism preparedness training for dental students, and the first to form an alliance with a College of Nursing in order to expand access to general health care for needy populations.
School of Dentistry Students Provide Free Dental Care on Give Kids a Smile Day
The tooth fairy made a rare daytime appearance at the University of Minnesota on Saturday, February 5, when she dropped by to visit with some of the 170 children on-hand to receive free dental care in the School of Dentistry’s 27-chair pediatric dental clinic. Free dental services were provided as part of “Give Kids a Smile Day”, a national event held annually to call attention to the growing number of children from low income households who cannot access dental services. The School of Dentistry event drew children and parents from throughout the Twin Cities to the school’s Moos Tower clinic.
Each child received radiographs, an examination and treatment plan, plus emergency and some restorative care, prioritized to address the most critical needs first. Routine and specialty dental services included radiographs, fillings, endodontic procedures, cleanings, extractions, fluoride treatments, stainless steel crowns and the placement of dental sealants. It’s estimated that the dental school provided more than $120,000 of free dental care at the one-day event.
Student coordinators organized all aspects of the day, recruited volunteers, and secured grants and donations of dental materials and supplies to help held defray the cost of providing care. More than 280 dental, dental hygiene and dental therapy students worked alongside dental residents, and School of Dentistry faculty and staff to treat children, ages 11 months to 17 years. Also participating were some 35 students representing the University’s schools of public health, pharmacy, medicine and nursing who staffed educational displays and conducted interactive health-related activities with the children.
According to Patrick Lloyd, Dean of the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry, “For us, this day is all about opportunity, investment and partnership. It’s an opportunity to provide much needed care for children, an investment in the education of our students, and a partnership with our professional colleagues around the state and students from other Academic Health Center Schools to match children and their families in need of dental care with our School of Dentistry’s public dental clinics for treatment and follow-up.”
School of Dentistry students on rotation at Rice Regional Dental Clinic in Willmar and at the NorthPoint Health and Wellness Center in North Minneapolis participated in Give Kids a Smile Day events on Friday, February 4.
School of Dentistry patient clinics are open to the public. Dental services for children and adults are provided by student dentists, dental hygienists and dental therapists, and by dental residents, under supervision of a faculty dentist. The full range of general and specialty dental services for children and adults are provided, including check-ups and tooth cleanings, braces, crowns & fillings, treatment of gum disease, oral surgery, root canals, dental implants, dentures, and more. Most dental insurance plans are accepted, including Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare. Reduced fees reflect the student-status of the caregivers. Fees average about 30% below the cost of dental services in a private dental practice. Approximately 17,300 children live within two miles of the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry. It is estimated that 800 children in this area have a daily urgent need for dental treatment.
The University of Minnesota, with the Twin Cities United Way, organized a facilitated discussion on Tuesday, February 1 with representatives of United Way funded agencies to discuss ways to reach children with unmet dental needs in the Twin Cities. In particular, the group was assembled to match School of Dentistry clinics with excess capacity -- such as the School of Dentistry Pediatric Clinic -- with children in need.
Drs. Sheila Riggs and Daniel Shaw of the School of Dentistry began with a presentation of the disparities in dental health among various populations of children, and the need for Twin Cities health and social service organizations to work together to develop approaches for reaching children who don't have access to the dental care they require. Afterward, the 60 assembled health and family services professionals participated in a brainstorming session to identify roadblocks to dental care access, and ways of addressing them.
Twenty-eight students representing 10 high schools participated in the Saturday Academy, a 22-week introduction to dentistry for middle and high school students offered by the School of Dentistry, which kicked off on January 22. More than 100 students in the Minneapolis School District applied to attend this new program. The Saturday Academy is one initiative of the new Building Bridges to a Career in Dentistry Program, which was created to enhance access to dental care for underserved communities by increasing diversity in the dental workforce.
The Georgia Board of Dentistry has eleven members who are appointed by the Governor, and is comprised of nine dentists, one dental hygienist, and one consumer member. The Board carries out its responsibility for protecting the public health in the practice of dentistry by regulating and enforcing the standards of practice.
Through the Dental Board's licensure process, the Board ensures that those applying for licensure in this state as a dentist or dental hygienist have acceptable education, training, and personal character to safely practice in Georgia. In carrying out its regulatory functions, the Board sets and defines standards to draw the line between safe and dangerous dental practices.
The Georgia Board of Dentistry fulfills its enforcement responsibilities by identifying and sanctioning those who practice below the accepted standards of the profession, or without the necessary qualifications. The Board generally meets once each month.