Statewide Community Outreach Approach to Address the Oral Health Needs of Georgia
Abstract
The purpose of this project is to bring awareness and highlight the ongoing effort by The Dental College of Georgia (DCG) to address the oral health needs of Georgia’s DHPSAs through statewide oral health workforce activities and collaborative partnerships. In 2006, the DCG was awarded a grant by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to implement a multi-faceted plan designed to address the oral health needs of Georgia’s DHPSAs. Since then a concerted effort has maintained workforce strategies that continue to improve access to care, while new opportunities are developed to expand workforce, provide oral health education and service to underserved Georgians. Through statewide collaborative partnerships with dental public health clinics across the state of Georgia, a primary focused effort is the year-round community-based clinical rotation program with senior dental students. The DCG expands clinical outreach in GA communities through experiential learning opportunities. As the state’s only dental college, an overview of the statewide outreach effort by The Dental College of Georgia will be examined from project origin to present day to highlight strategies and activities used to address and improve access to oral health access and expand dental care for the state’s underserved populations.
Keywords
Dentistry, Dental, Oral Health, Public Health, Community Outreach, Collaboration
Statewide Community Outreach Approach to Address the Oral Health Needs of Georgia
The purpose of this project is to bring awareness and highlight the ongoing effort by The Dental College of Georgia (DCG) to address the oral health needs of Georgia’s DHPSAs through statewide oral health workforce activities and collaborative partnerships. In 2006, the DCG was awarded a grant by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to implement a multi-faceted plan designed to address the oral health needs of Georgia’s DHPSAs. Since then a concerted effort has maintained workforce strategies that continue to improve access to care, while new opportunities are developed to expand workforce, provide oral health education and service to underserved Georgians. Through statewide collaborative partnerships with dental public health clinics across the state of Georgia, a primary focused effort is the year-round community-based clinical rotation program with senior dental students. The DCG expands clinical outreach in GA communities through experiential learning opportunities. As the state’s only dental college, an overview of the statewide outreach effort by The Dental College of Georgia will be examined from project origin to present day to highlight strategies and activities used to address and improve access to oral health access and expand dental care for the state’s underserved populations.
