Description

The School of Dentistry is committed to comprehensive patient care and to providing its students with a variety of community-based service experiences. In 2001, an Associate Dean for Institutional Relations and Community Affairs was appointed to further develop and implement community-based programs. These programs now serve thousands of underserved patients in Philadelphia, Chester, Montgomery and Tioga Counties in Pennsylvania. Additionally, community clinical rotations have become a requirement for graduation. Project Accomplishments include: Increased the number of days senior students spend in community-based settings to 20 outreach rotation days. Established a school-based dental clinic at Roberto Clemente Middle School NE Philadelphia. TUSoD partnered with the Tioga County Partnership for Community Health and operates a dental clinic in Lawrenceville, PA. Established affiliations with private practices that serve multicultural and low-income patients. Created the Department of Dental Public Health Sciences to be the permanent academic home for the Community-based Dental Education Program (CBDEP). Hired a full-time recruiter to help increase the recruitment and retention of underrepresented minority and low-income students. Expanded the CBDEP for freshmen, sophomore, and junior students’ oral health education and promotion activities. Made scholarships available to minority and low-income students through grant funds.