The School of Dentistry’s Department of Dental Public Health is committed to improving access to oral healthcare and eliminating the oral-health disparities in various communities, such as homeless veterans and the geriatric community.  

One way we accomplish this is by educating and training our pre-doctoral students to respond to these needs through study and application of:  

• The Sociology and Psychology of Dentistry  

• The Epidemiology of Oral Conditions  

• Health Policy and the Planning of Oral Health Services  

• Organization and Delivery of Care to Patient Populations with Special Needs  

• Knowledge and Skills in Interpersonal Communication  

• Needs Assessment and Treatment Planning  

• Consultative and Inter-professional Relations  

• Understanding the importance of breaking traditional healthcare silos   

• Quality Assurance Coordination of Dental Team Responsibilities  

• Principles of Proactive Management  

• Cultural Competency (ADA compliant)  

The landscape of public health is ever-changing, and for dental health professionals to anticipate, assess, initiate, or respond to change effectively, they must have a firm grasp of population-based analysis, health service delivery systems, financing health services, basic health, and evidence-based research.