Behavioral Sciences
Melanie Morris, M.S.W.
Boston University School of Social Work
Elisabeth Purkis, M.S.W.
University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry
Jill DelVecchio, LMSW
Eastman Institute for Oral Health - University of Rochester Medical Center
Shelby Funk, LSW
Indiana University School of Dentistry
Kristen Flick, M.S.W.
The University of Iowa College of Dentistry & Dental Clinics
Candace Ziglor, LMSW
University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry
Jamie L. Burgess-Flowers, M.S.W., LCSW
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Adams School of Dentistry
Social workers are valuable members of interdisciplinary health teams as they employ a biopsychosocial approach to delivering quality patient-centered care and promoting health equity. While social workers have been part of health teams since the early 20th century, the dental field has been slow to adopt social workers into their practice. Social workers have begun expanding into dental education, however the role and impact of social workers in dental education settings remain underexplored. Through this educational session we aim to explore and validate the unique role and impact of social work in dental education, dental practice, and dental research.