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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Magda A. De la Torre, RDH, MPH¹, Juanita Wallace, RDH, PhD¹, Courtney D. Pollard, RDH, BS¹, Miguel Treviņo Jr.², Claudia Cavazos, DDS², Davyne Aguero, RDH², Rebecca Morales, RDH², Ashley Lovett, BBA¹, Amanda McSweeny¹, Maria Orrick¹, and Staci Simper¹. (1) Department of Dental Hygiene, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr., MC 6244, San Antonio, TX 78229-3900, 210-567-8834, delatorrem@uthscsa.edu, (2) Gateway Community Health Center, 2309 E. Saunders, Laredo, TX 78043

The objective of the Building Oral Health Care (BOHCA) Educational Program is to implement an extended service learning experience to educate dental hygiene students on the lack of oral health care, cultural competency, and social responsibility along the Texas-Mexico border region while providing oral health care. Four students were selected to participate in the program for 10 weeks of their Spring Semester and 6 weeks in the Summer Semester in Laredo (Webb County), Texas. Care was provided for an underserved population of Hispanic diabetic patients through a partnership with Gateway Community Health Center. Community activities were also coordinated with diverse organizations. Students were immersed into border-life by involvement with the South Texas Environmental Education Research (STEER) program. BOHCA provided oral health care access and education to a population that may not have otherwise received preventive services. The population of Webb County is 94% Hispanic, and patients treated were 100% Hispanic. Over 40% of the patients served had never been to an oral health care provider. A total of 741 procedures were performed of which 81% were periodontal scalings. The equivalent of services provided was $35,459. Students expressed a higher awareness of social responsibility and continued service to underserved Hispanic communities through qualitative analysis of reflective journals. Service learning is a valuable tool that can be utilized to benefit the population served and to educate students. The BOHCA Educational Program helped students acknowledge health disparities and demonstrate the many ways that each individual can impact the lives of others.

Learning Objectives: By the end of this session the learner will

• Identify oral health disparities in a community along the Texas-Mexico border.
• Define service learning.
• Understand the importance of service learning and the benefits that service learning can provide.
• Recognize the need for an increase in access to oral health care in underserved populations.
• Identify how reflective learning is an innovative way to educate and evaluate students.

Keywords: Access to Care, Community Preventive Services

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered