Competency in Dental Public Health

The program leads to a micro-credential and digital badge that reflects extended work in Dental Public Health. The program involves community-based service, supplemental lectures, and participation in Dental Public Health research.

This program is open to predoctoral (DDS) student members of the UBSDM Student Chapter of AAPHD (American Academy of Public Health Dentistry) in their D2, D3 and D4 years, who are interested in gaining a deeper understanding of dental public health.

Participants may register for the micro-credential in the D2, D3, or D4 year of predoctoral studies in the School of Dental Medicine, following successful completion of the first-year course CLD 800: Intro to Profession. Participants must:

• Demonstrate their proficiency in the eight competencies of Public Health Dentistry by completion of all six courses in Public Health Dentistry as adopted by the AAPHD, which include:
  1. Principles in Dental Public Health
  2. Oral Health Literacy and Dental Public Health
  3. Ethics and Dental Public Health
  4. Dental Public Health Policy and Advocacy
  5. Oral Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
  6. Evidence-Based Dentistry
• Complete 20 hours of participation in community-based service projects as sponsored or endorsed by UBSDM's AAPHD student chapter.
• Produce or collaborate on research in the field of Dental Public Health as submitted in written, oral or poster format.
• Earn a final letter grade of B or better in PDO 836: Principles of Public Health (fall semester D3).
• Remain in good clinical standing as verified by the assistant dean for clinical affairs.

Upon successful completion of the program, the participant will accomplish these learning objectives:

1. Demonstrate the ability to incorporate ethical reasoning and actions that promote culturally competent oral health care to individuals and populations.
2. Critique, synthesize and apply information from scientific and lay sources to improve the public’s oral health.
3. Describe social and health care systems and determinants of health and their impact on the oral health of the individual and population.
4. Assess risk for oral diseases and select appropriate, evidence-based preventive interventions and strategies to promote health and control oral diseases at the individual and population level.
5. Demonstrate the ability to access and describe the use of population-based health data for health promotion, patient care, and quality improvement.
6. Demonstrate the ability to communicate and collaborate with relevant stakeholders to advocate for policies that impact oral and general health for individuals or populations.
7. Develop a capacity for lifelong learning and professional growth in order to provide leadership that utilizes principles of dental public health.
8. Demonstrate the ability to participate in inter-professional care across the lifespan of people from diverse communities and culture.

Upon completion of the full program you will earn a notation on your academic transcript as well as a digital badge that you may use on your digital resume or social media sites.

More than 3 semesters

PDO 836: The second-year lecture course in public health is designed to provide the predoctoral dental student with basic concepts in a broad range of topics related to the health of the general population.