Postdoctoral Training in General, Pediatric and Public Health Dentistry and Dental Hygiene - The Denver Health (DH) Pediatric Dentistry Residency (PDR), accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation, is based in Denver, Colorado, with Denver Health Medical Center as its sponsoring institution. This funding will allow the DH PDR to support enhanced training in school-based oral health programs (SOHP) from 2025 to 2030, supporting DH PDR's mission: "Improving the health of all children through excellence in patient care and education of future providers." The PDR operates at the Webb Pediatric Dental Clinic on Denver Health Medical Center's main campus, a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) serving historically underserved communities across Colorado. Residents support pediatric dental care at five community-based primary care centers and within eight of the nineteen Denver Public Schools' School-Based Health Centers, offering high-volume, full-spectrum pediatric care. With HRSA Postdoctoral Training in Dentistry funding, residents will train in a telehealth-integrated, team-based care model for high-needs patients. They will collaborate with interprofessional dental teams to manage school-based care navigation and establish virtual dental homes. Training focuses on optimizing care workflows and evaluating patient navigation across school-based and pediatric dental systems. Partnerships with Denver Health and DH SOHP provide expert-led telehealth training. The program aims to: (1) teach residents to assess intervention effectiveness in virtual dental settings, (2) encourage adoption of telehealth in post-residency health systems, and (3) reinforce commitment to improving access and care for underserved populations. DH PDR and SOHP operate within Denver Community Health Services, the city's largest safety net FQHC system and the fifth largest in the U.S. They serve the communities of Montbello, Manual, Place Bridge, Florence Crittenton, Bruce Randolph, Kepner, and George Washington in Denver County-areas with significant unmet oral care needs. In 2024, DH Pediatric Dentistry supported over 20,000 specialist visits. Among DH pediatric patients: 1. 85% identify as non-white 2. 45% speak only Spanish 3. 90% live at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) 4. 66% live at or below the FPL Within these FQHCs, 19% of patients are uninsured, 61% rely on public health coverage, and satellite FQHCs hold a primary care Health Professional Shortage Area designation of 20, reflecting high healthcare needs. The DH PDR is one of only three pediatric dental residencies in HRSA Region 8 and the only one based in an FQHC. It stands out for its commitment to telehealth and virtual dental homes as part of pediatric dental care. By leveraging the full dental team, advanced telehealth technology, and efficient workflows, the program enhances the healthcare workforce and expands access to quality oral care in underserved communities. The DH PDR qualifies for five funding priorities: Discipline Retention, Student Background, Vulnerable Populations, Cultural Competency and Oral Health Literacy, and Special Populations.
