Miami Dade College Making Many Smile in South Florida

 

Access to healthcare continues to be a major factor in the health outcomes of individuals and families across the U.S., the State of Florida, and in Miami-Dade County. In particular, access to dental care and basic dental hygiene is no different. Lack of basic care can lead to devastating impacts to the health of children and adults. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2000), the general state of oral health can be an indicator of a person’s general health or disease status.

 

Findings from the report included, but are not limited to, the following:

• Oral manifestations may be the initial sign of clinical disease;

• Individuals such as immunocompromised and hospitalized patients are at greater risk for general morbidity;

• Individuals with diabetes are at greater risk for periodontal diseases;

• Studies have demonstrated an association between periodontal diseases and diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and adverse pregnancy outcomes.

 

The socioeconomic status of individuals and families can be a determining factor when seeking services, preventive or otherwise. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2000), “Disparities for various oral conditions may relate to income, age, sex, race or ethnicity, or medical status. Although common dental diseases are preventable, not all members of society are informed about or able to avail themselves of appropriate oral health-promoting measures … ”

 

Miami Dade College’s (MDC) School of Health Sciences is making great strides in the reduction of disparities in dental healthcare that exist today in Miami Dade County. The Mission of the School of Health Sciences is to provide excellent, affordable, accessible health care education and to promote quality health care services in our community. The Dental Hygiene program, accredited by the American Dental Association’s Commission on Dental Accreditation, prepares its graduates to become members of a dental health team dedicated to helping individuals maintain oral health and prevent disease.

 

Community partnerships are being developed and supported to strengthen the public infrastructure for dental services. Two partnerships in existence today that are making an impact in our community include Miami Dade College (MDC) and NOVA Southeastern University (NOVA) and, most recently, a new endeavor between MDC and the Dr. Rafael Peñalver Clinic. The MDC/NOVA partnership is quite unique in that a dentist and several dental students from NOVA travel to MDC Medical Center Campus to provide restorative care to a shared population.

 

In June MDC launched a new initiative with the Peñalver Clinic in Little Havana. Services will include screening and basic dental care for their patient-base and for the community as a whole. This is a joint partnership between the Peñalver Clinic, Miami-Dade Health Department, and Miami Dade College. Students and faculty will travel to Peñalver at least twice per week in the beginning to provide dental hygiene services to patients. These patients would otherwise go without care or never receive preventative screenings.

 

The dental hygiene clinic at MDC provides dental care to approximately 2,000 people each year. Additionally, students and faculty visit more than 20 elementary schools annually to teach students how to take care of their teeth. During the Miami Book Fair International of 2010, more than 1,000 children were educated on how to care for their teeth. MDC is clearly dedicated toward improving the oral health of the Miami-Dade community, is providing education and training of future dental care providers, and is definitely making many people smile along the way!