Reintroducing the AAPHD Student Chapter

UCLA’s chapter was accepted in 2024, marking a milestone in expanding the resources and network available to students in the field of dental public health.

Group of UCLA dental students at a community event
By School of Dentistry Communications
1 min read

Founded in 1937, the American Association of Public Health Dentistry (AAPHD) focuses on improving oral health. AAPHD works to improve total health for all citizens by developing and supporting effective oral health promotion and disease prevention programs.

AAPHD encourages dental students in each US-based dental school to start a local chapter because many things can be accomplished effectively locally. Local chapters allow members to get together, exchange views, and attend continuing education courses and social ‘activities. Local chapters can also regularly interact in a local community to provide programs or activities directly impacting oral health.

A formal application and a letter of intent to the Executive Counsel of AAPHD were submitted. After a thorough review, UCLA’s chapter was accepted, marking a milestone in expanding the resources and network available to students in the field of dental public health. Since its reactivation in 2022, the UCLA AAPHD student chapter has grown tremendously and has eighty-two (82) paid and active members. Over the past two years, the chapter has been actively involved in various outreach events and initiatives:

  • Outreach Events: The chapter has organized and participated in events with Healing California, hosting more than one quarterly event. They have also collaborated with the Health by Wealth Foundation on several occasions, with the help of Dr. Elbert Tom, the chapter's co-advising faculty member.
  • Mission Trips: Members have engaged in mission trips to Honduras, supervised by a private dentist in September 2023 and Panama in March 2024, supervised by Dr. Shahed Al Kalifah and the Floating Doctors Organization.
  • Education: The chapter has hosted "Lunch and Learn" sessions with faculty members involved in public health across the U.S.
  • Research Opportunities: The chapter offers research opportunities for dental students to explore public health-related topics, with the potential for their work to be expanded into published articles. During the Panama trip, students collected preliminary survey data guided by Dr. Ortega-Verdugo, which can be used for presentations and publications.