Section of Public and Population Health
The Section of Public and Population Health is charged with providing future leaders with the skills necessary to care for a community as well as individuals within the community. Through our teaching program, research program, and community service our Division continues to meet this challenge.
We are grateful for our organizational partners including The California Endowment, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Archstone Foundation, Project Grad, Mission Community Hospital, CSUN Student Health Center and College Bound, who have supported our work in community settings.
Chair:
Full-time Faculty:
Teaching
The objectives of the teaching program are to allow students to critically evaluate scientific literature; be exposed to legal, professional, and ethical issues in dentistry; acquire philosophy and methods of preventive dentistry and epidemiology; assess dental care quality; understand public policy issues related to dentistry; develop communication, interviewing, and patient management skills; understand organization and administration of dental practice; and provide students with both clinical and health promotion experiences in community-based settings
Research
Our faculty’s research interests cover many areas of health services and community-based issues. These range from the changes that are occurring in dentistry due to globalization to the validity of the Oral Health Status Index. Evaluation techniques, oral health disparities and access to health care in different populations, epidemiology, sociology, anthropology, and statistical modeling are disciplines used to address the issues that face minority populations, practitioners and training programs. Our recent research involves delivery of health care, health literacy, self-perceived oral health, and oral disease prevention methods.
Patient Care
Through a Selective course, students provide screening, sealants and fluoride treatments at health fairs in underserved communities.
Contact Us
Matt Palmer, Section Administrator
Phone: (310) 825-6406
mpalmer@dentistry.ucla.edu