Through a variety of community outreach programs, students develop the necessary skills and experience to become successful in their dental career, and to stand out during the hiring process.
Students work in teams to promote oral health within their communities. In this multi-quarter course sequence, you and your student team will choose a population that is experiencing a health inequity and then design and implement a project with the goal of improving their oral health. Typically, oral health education, oral assessments, and preventive services such as dental cleanings, fluoride and sealants are components of these outreach team projects.
Previous programs and partners in Klamath Falls include:
- Preschool students
- Elementary, middle, and high school students
- Klamath Transitions' Programs for adult special education students
- Bestcare Recovery Center
- Gospel Mission
- Pelican Pointe Memory Care
- Migrant children and their families
Students also have the opportunity to participate in Klamath County community outreach events such as:
- Medical Teams International Van Free Dental Days
- Klamath Basin Potato Festival Health Fair
- Skylakes Medical Center Wellness Fair
- Children's Learning Fair
International Externship Program
The International Externship Program is an exciting opportunity for a team of senior students and an instructor to travel outside the United States on a dental care mission. Past destinations include Romania, Ukraine, Moldova, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Peru, Guatemala, Vietnam, Jamaica and Africa.
The goals of IEP are:
- To provide quality oral health care and education to people around the world who lack access to such care
- To provide students an opportunity to expand and improve their clinical skills in a setting that requires teamwork, innovation, and flexibility
- To provide a unique cultural learning experience
Travel is coordinated through a global medical organization and an in-country partner. Missions last approximately one to two weeks.
Each student pays a portion of the travel cost. Fundraisers and sponsors help students obtain mission funds.
Most of the students that enter this program have not ventured outside the U.S. borders. The exposure to cultural differences and provision of humanitarian aid often make the trip a life-changing experience.
