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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Judith Ann Buchanan, PhD, DMD1, Ann Slaughter, DDS, MPH2, Peter Berthold, DDS, PhD, DMD3, John N. Williams, DMD, MBA4, Kale Gray4, Jeanette C. Hartshorn, RN, PhD5, Gary Guest, DDS6, and Robert J. Bulik, PhD7. (1) Department of Community Health Promotion, University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental Medicine, 4001 Spruce St., Philadelphia, PA 19104, 215-898-1167, jbuchana@pobox.upenn.edu, (2) Department of Dental Care Systems, University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, 4001 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146-6003, (3) School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 4001 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6003, (4) Dean, University of Louisville, School of Dentistry, 501 S. Preston St., Louisville, KY 40202, (5) Center for Telehealth and Distance Education, University of Texas, Medical Branch at Galveston, Levin Hall Room 5-527, 11th Street and Market, Gavestown, TX 77555, (6) Dental School, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229, (7) Office of Educational Development, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 144 Gail Borden Building, 301 University Boulevard, Galvestown, TX 77555
The Texas Valley is an impoverished, dentally-underserved area.. A pilot project was completed which included educating nondental medical personnel from medical clinics located in the Texas Valley. The purpose of this educational program was to familiarize nondental medical personnel with common oral conditions, encourage them to examine oral tissues, and help them recognize oral health problems that need to be referred to oral health care specialists. In addition, information on performing the procedure for placing preventive oral varnishes was included. All educational material, including clinical photographs, was presented through the internet and duplicated on a hand held computer (HHC). The HHC could then be used on site to refresh the material and used as a pictorial guide for clinical reference. Training on the HHC was done through the University of Texas, Medical Branch of Galveston, Center for Distance and Telecommunications. Evaluation of the educational material, the instruction of the HHC, the change in referral patterns and oral health knowledge of participants was or is being obtained. All participants in the study were given a HHC to use and if all evaluations are completed, the participants can keep the HHC. Qualitative feedback from participants is very favorable both in the area of the material presented and in the web/ HHC format for delivery of the material. Further studies are being planned to expand the number of participants and the scope of this project.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Access to Care, Technology
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.