Assistant Professor UNC-CH Adams School of Dentistry, North Carolina, United States
Abstract:
Objectives: The purpose of this project was to create an oral health initiative for Title I Schools in the Wake and Granville County Public School System by (1) leveraging relationships with community members to donate oral hygiene supplies, and (2) teaching the importance of oral hygiene to students.
Methods: An oral hygiene drive was held during the month of October 2022 in conjunction with various local partners and stakeholders. An educational oral health program was developed and delivered to 1st and 4th-grade students at one of the schools that received donations.
Results: Through community outreach from classmates, faculty, and dentists, 427 Oral Hygiene Instruction (OHI) bags were donated directly to 5 Title I schools in Wake and Granville County. One hundred and thirty-four 1st and 4th-grade students received instruction on the importance of teeth and oral hygiene through classroom presentations.
Conclusion: The number of OHI bags that were collected during the month of October (n=427) far exceeded the originally expected goal (n=180). This project exemplifies the potential reach that dental hygiene students can have on their community by forming partnerships with local stakeholders, as well as the importance of focusing educational materials and supplies toward communities that are under-resourced in the interest of promoting equity.
Source of Funding: None
Affiliations: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Adams School of Dentistry
