Preventive Dentistry Outreach. 0 Credit Hours

Catalog description

Paired groups of DS I students are required to participate in a two-week rotation during the summer session between the freshman and sophomore years. The students will be based at either Mercy Ministries of Laredo or UT Brownsville School of Public Health. Students must participate in outreach to include dental education on dental disease prevention and oral health promotion and will work alongside clinic outreach staff (e.g., Promotoras and Social Workers) and dental care providers (dentist, dental hygienists, and dental assistants). Activities will include clinical preventive patient education, dental surveys, dental assisting, and preventive dentistry clinical procedures. Students are required to develop a health promotion and disease prevention project (e.g., patient handout, educational flip chart, presentation, etc.). This tool will be implemented and continue to be used in future outreach by the program. Students will also have the opportunity to rotate to the office of a private practitioner as a part of this program. This is a work-study selective; students will be employed by UTHSCSA and receive selective credit. Ability to communicate in Spanish is essential. 2-week rotation.