Community Outreach

What gives me the most satisfaction is the win-win-win aspect of the program. It is a win situation for the residents as they get to improve their clinical speed and skills. It is a win situation for the patients as they receive dental services. It is also a win situation for El Rio as we get more patients treated, as well as the opportunity to hire some of these young professionals as staff dentists.

Gregory LaChance, DDS
El Rio Health Center, Tucson, AZ

Introduction

Our work through community health centers plays a vital role in helping underserved residents in both rural and urban areas receive the oral health they so desperately need. In addition, our residents and faculty are involved in additional community health programs through LMC Dental procured grants other volunteer efforts.

School programs

The Lutheran Family Health Center Network operates a large School Health Program with 15,000+ students in 14 schools across all ages from K-12. Since 1984, the program has been providing comprehensive medical, mental health and dental services in southwest Brooklyn. In 2010, the Dental School Health Program generated over 10,000 visits and placed over 2,500 sealants. Each school
has a team of health care professionals including nurse practitioners, pediatricians, mental health providers, and dental professionals. The Dental School Health program began in September of 2009 and provides dental services in 20 schools throughout the boroughs of Brooklyn, Staten Island, Bronx and Manhattan (16 elementary, 3 Junior High School and 1 Senior High School). It provides on site dental health education, preventive services, restorative services, and outreach programs and referrals for specialty care from a mix of Pediatric and General Dentists and Registered Dental Hygienists. In addition to the services provided in the schools, there is a staff of outreach workers who attend community events and provide free dental screenings, linkages and referrals.

Community Outreach Grants

LMC Dental further contributes to community outreach by applying for and implementing grant-funded programs.
Recent initiatives include the following:

Ryan White Grant HIV/AIDS Grant – $804,625.

The Ryan White Program works with cities, states, and local community-based organization to provide HIV-related services to more than half a million people each year. The program is for those who do not have sufficient health care coverage or financial resources for coping with HIV disease. Ryan White fills gaps in care not covered by these other sources.

SPNS Innovations in Oral Health Care Initiative, US Virgin Islands –$400,000 in year 5 of 5 through August, 2011.

Primary areas of progress occurred in

• continuing oral health services for persons living with HIV
• completing renovation at Governor Juan Luis Hospital for a three-chair, state of the art dental facility
• developing Web-based curriculum

Contributing to our Communities

Many of our residents, faculty, and alumni are actively involved in community service activities.

For example, Kenneth Reed, DMD, travels to El Rosario on the Baja of Mexico with the “Flying Samaritans” a few times each year. The Flying Samaritans Arizona is a volunteer-based, nonsectarian organization dedicated to providing free medical care to residents in remote, underserved regions of Mexico who are unable to access medical services. In 2010, the two Flying Samaritan trips in the spring were attended by two AEGD residents from LMC Dental—Dr Jenny Spera and Dr Jackie Haendel. Ryan Larsen, former LMC AEGD resident and current attending dentist, attended the first trip. The third trip in December was attended by Dr Donnie Gafni, LMC AEGD and Pediatric Dentistry resident.