Postdoctoral Training in General, Pediatric and Public Health Dentistry and Dental Hygiene - Project Title: Expansion of the University of Iowa Advanced Training Program in Dental Public Health Application Organization: University of Iowa College of Dentistry Address: 801 Newton Road, Iowa City, IA 52242-1010 Project Director: John J. Warren, DDS, MS Contact: 319-335-7205; 319-335-7187(fax); john-warren@uiowa.edu Website Address: https://www.dentistry.uiowa.edu/ Funding Request: $1,950,600 Funding Priorities Requested: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Period of Performance: July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2030 (5 years) Disciplines: Dental Public Health This project proposes to enhance community-based training for Dental Public Health (DPH) residents within the University of Iowa’s CODA-accredited advanced education program in Dental Public Health, and to facilitate training for dentists and other staff at various Community based organizations (CBOs) throughout Iowa. This proposal primarily addresses Focus Area 1 by enhancing community-based training within the University of Iowa’s CODA-accredited Dental Public Health (DPH) program that will partner with several CBOs in Iowa. We will also address Focus Area 2 (Rural Training Sites) as many of the CBOs are in rural locations and/or serve largely rural populations. As an enhancement of a Dental Public Health specialty training program, it will also address Focus Area 3 (Dental Public Health) by growing collaborations and trainees’ experiences in Community-based primary care organizations, as well as providing training for CBO staff. This proposal will create clinical and didactic learning opportunities related to dental care delivery in CBOs where trainees will participate in clinical, experiential and administrative training at these sites. The proposal will emphasize training in oral health literacy and cultural competency but will also include opportunities to enhance CBO’s use of risk assessment, prevention, management of patients with complex medical conditions, and diet/nutrition counselling. Specific objectives are as follows: 1. Enhance community-based training within the University of Iowa’s CODA-accredited Dental Public Health program by developing and implementing rotations to immerse trainees in the care of patients from disadvantaged backgrounds, those with complex medical conditions, and those residing in rural areas. 2. Through collaboration with CBOs, develop and implement instruction modules to help providers understand challenges posed by low oral health literacy of their patients and ways to improve it, as well as content to improve providers’ cultural competency and communication skills. 3. Through collaboration with CBOs, develop and implement additional instruction modules to provide instruction for trainees, and CBO staff. 4. Develop and implement a program for CBO providers to take coursework within the DPH program at the University of Iowa and formalize a part-time pathway to obtain the MS degree in DPH. 5. Evaluate the project systematically on an ongoing basis and at the end of the project.
