interview zoom recording pt.1

Community Dental Health Educators Program Overview

• Purpose of the Program:

  • Initiated through a collaboration with a former director from UW Washington's nursing department who aimed to serve the Hispanic community.

  • Created to address the lack of representation of Hispanic individuals in the dental field.

  • Goal to inspire participants to consider careers in dentistry and disseminate knowledge within the community.

Program Structure

• Curriculum:

  • Originally a 10-week program, now condensed to a 4-week program for better participant engagement.

  • Focuses on general health knowledge relating to oral care, including:

    • Importance of oral hygiene beyond just brushing teeth.

    • Nutritional impacts on oral health.

    • Care for gums and overall oral health practices.

Target Demographics

• Target Audience:

  • Primarily aimed at Latino pre-health and recent high school graduate students (ages 18-30).

  • Program encourages the youth to explore potential careers in dentistry, addressing underserved demographics.

  • Successful outreach through social channels, mainly Instagram and internal community sharing (WhatsApp, Facebook).

Measuring Effectiveness

• Measurement of Outcomes:

  • Lack of formal testing to gauge behavioral change; effectiveness assumed based on participant feedback.

  • Participants generally reported increased knowledge that they could apply in their lives and share with others.

Program Accessibility

• Access to Program:

  • Completely online to avoid geographic limitations; no cost to join.

  • Participants who complete the program receive a stipend.

Long-term Support for Participants

• Material Distribution:

  • Participants receive dental care kits (e.g., toothbrushes, floss, educational materials) to support ongoing oral health care.

  • Connections made to community resources like food banks (e.g., Edmonds Food Bank) for nutritional support.

Community Engagement

• Engagement Strategies:

  • Program emphasizes the importance of community connection.

  • In-person opportunities such as dental tours and shadowing for hands-on experience, located in Snohomish County.

  • Programs designed to ensure accessibility for all, with extracurricular activities not mandatory for course completion.