Dental News - UCLA School of Dentistry receives $1.5M for community-based education

Dental Tribune International

Thu. 18. January 2018

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LOS ANGELES, U.S.: The UCLA School of Dentistry has been granted $1.5 million by the state’s largest dental benefits provider, Delta Dental of California, to support the launch of a community-based clinical education program. The award, which will support UCLA student dentists in caring for some of the most vulnerable patients in California, is the largest that Delta Dental has ever given a dental school.

Many Californians have inadequate access to oral health care services for a number of reasons. The greatest challenges are the uneven distribution of providers, underfunded public health programs, lack of understanding of the importance of oral health and difficulty in identifying available resources.

“This funding enables the dental school and Delta Dental to have an even stronger presence in bridging the gap with access to care in California. With Delta Dental’s generous support, we can expand our treatment reach and training capacity,” said Prof. Paul Krebsbach, dean of the school. “Because our program continually assesses and evaluates outcomes, the funding will enhance care for today’s patients, as well as tomorrow’s patients.”

The grant will enable fourth-year dental students, overseen by credentialed dental practitioners, to treat Medicaid recipients or people who struggle with access to care. Two key health care delivery models that the school will affiliate with are federally qualified health centers that cater to underserved populations and practices that focus on people living at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level.

“Delta Dental is committed to broadening access to dental care for those who otherwise might go without,” stated Dr. John Yamamoto, Delta Dental’s Vice President of Professional Services. “We’re pleased to support the efforts of the community-based clinical education program at the UCLA School of Dentistry and, in doing so, the many patients and dentists who are so integral to the program.”

The funding will support startup costs to launch the program, which will entail partnering with 12 dental clinics throughout California and establishing an online mentorship program. The program will also initiate the use of electronic health record data monitoring to help facilitate audits leading to improved patient care protocols.

“We hope to achieve several outcomes over the next several years. First, our goal is to graduate the highest quality dentists and also increase pathways and awareness for our graduates into public health dentistry,” explained Prof. Bill Piskorowski, the program’s director and Associate Dean for Community-Based Clinical Education. “Next, we hope to become a conduit of evidence-based information between experts and clinicians at remote locations, and provide data to ensure best practices in healthcare delivery methods nationwide.”

The funding will also support the further development of the program’s sustainability model, which will create an efficient, cost-effective structure for student engagement, faculty commitment and community impact.

“With Delta Dental as a partner, I am confident that we can create a robust and effective local oral health care delivery model that can be replicated in other parts of the state, nation and world,” Krebsbach said.

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