Recorded presentation

Ronald S. Mito, DDS, FDS RCS(Ed, Associate Dean, Clinical Dental Sciences, UCLA School of Dentistry, 13-089 Center for Health Sciences, Los Angeles, CA 90095, 310-206-6406, rmito@dent.ucla.edu, Terrence E. Steyer, MD, Department of Family Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, 295 Calhoun St., Box 250192, Charleston, SC 29425-0192, and Shadia Garrison, MPH, AMSA Foundation, 1902 Association Drive, Reston, VA 20191.

In dentistry 81% of the active practitioners are generalists with 19% specialists, but only 1% of the specialists are public health dentists. The Surgeon General’s Report on Oral Health calls for an effective health infrastructure that meets the oral health needs of all Americans and integrates oral health effectively into overall health services. This includes strengthening the dental health education and research workforce.

The American Medical Student Association Foundation is in its third year of a public health leadership training program for dental resident and faculty pairs. The goal of the Leadership Seminar Series (LSS) is to advance the training of primary care resident and faculty dentists to meet the needs of the public through improved leadership, communication and advocacy skills and knowledge of health policy and public health. The program is also available to physicians, primarily in pediatrics, family practice and internal medicine.

Each year, for three years, 20 pairs of resident and faculty dentists or physicians are trained at three two-day trainings around the country over the course of one year. Based on Healthy People 2010 goals, the annual themes are ethnic minority health, rural health, and the health of people living in poverty.

Session facilitators will share with participants the planning and implementation processes, process and outcome data, and lessons learned at the midpoint of the project.

Learning Objectives: