Howard University, College of Dentistry

The College of Dentistry has provided quality patient care since its inception in 1881. It has trained thousands of highly skilled dental professionals to care for the underserved and has established numerous community programs that focus on the homeless, HIV/AIDS patients, and children.

The College provides consultative and educational services to the National Minority AIDS Education Center and the National AIDS Minority Information and Education program. Additionally, it offers preventive and restorative procedures to school-aged children through its Gage-Eckington Dental and Dental Hygiene programs.

Project Activities
Over the next four years, the College of Dentistry will:

1. Develop a rotational schedule wherein senior students care for underserved patients for 60 workdays in community clinics and practices.
2. Recruit faculty from community dentists, following normal college appointment, promotion, and tenure protocols.
3. Develop partnerships with new community clinical sites that target underserved populations.
4. Modify the core curriculum to include courses in cultural competency, community dentistry, social sciences, and social empowerment of the underserved.
5. Develop an innovative social work educational/training program that will sensitize dental students to the social and cultural context of poverty.
6. Continue behavioral and public health courses that prepare pre- and post-doctoral students for community experiences.
7. Communicate with college career counselors about the health professions. Initiate contact with college students who may have not considered dentistry as a career and bring them to the College for a two-week summer internship.
8. Organize a pre-dental club at Howard University and ask local dental societies, dentists, and alumni to develop programs for the club.
9. Host workshops and open house tours of the College for inner city high school and middle school couselors and students.