Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #108862

AJEY Bhardwaj, BPharm, MBA¹, Jeffery David Hill, DMD², Prof. S.R. Prabhu, BDS; MDS; FDS RC³, and Prof. S.R. Prabhu, BDS; MDS; FDS RC³. (1) AVNI HEALTH FOUNDATION, B-609,Everest Apts, J P Road, Versowa , Andheri ( W), Mumbai, 400061, India, 91-22-26323951, avnihealth@yahoo.com, (2) Dept. of Comprehensive Dentistry, University of Alabama School of Dentistry, 1919 7th Avenue South, SDB 524C, birmingham, AL 35294-0007, (3) Oral Disease Unit School of Dentistry, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad & Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago

AIDS is one of the biggest public health challenges facing India with an estimated 5.1.million persons living with the virus today. Although the National AIDS Control Organization is working towards strengthening health care systems to deal effectively with HIV /AIDS, the oral health care providers have been left out of this process and have not received the same attention. This is true despite the fact that the oral environment is an ideal setting for early recognition of HIV infection. A team approach in management of the HIV positive patient is critical to provide the best possible care and management. The AVNI Health Foundation along with the 70 collaborating dental schools in the States of Maharashtra and Karnataka, international and national collaborating partners addressed the issue of capacity building of oral health care providers and of stigma and discrimination against PLWHAs by: 1) working with dental schools – through training addressing the whole continuum of diagnosis, treatment, care and support of people living with HIV /AIDS 2) addressing discriminatory behaviours and attitudes of oral health care providers and staff in dental clinic settings through role models, leadership training and creating a network of providers. The capacity building process was implemented in steps, namely, needs assessment, Training of Trainers workshop with faculty from dental schools, series of workshops in the various dental schools, developing a resource manual specifically for dentists. The paper describes this process and results from the assessment and training evaluations are enumerated. Recommendations for curriculum and policy development are highlighted.

Learning Objectives: