UCLA Pediatric Dentistry Secures Fourth Consecutive HRSA Grant to Advance Oral Health Equity and Workforce Training

The UCLA School of Dentistry’s Section of Pediatric Dentistry, under the leadership of Dr. Francisco Ramos-Gomez, has been awarded a five-year Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grant to expand its innovative postdoctoral training in pediatric and public health dentistry. This marks the fourth consecutive federal award, solidifying UCLA’s position as a national leader in dental public health education and workforce development.

The latest funding builds on Dr. Ramos-Gomez’s vision of a holistic, prevention-centered, equity community-driven model of care, rooted in medical/dental integration and designed to address systemic barriers and improve access for California’s most underserved children and families. The initiative – guided by the acronym BRIGHT (Building Resilient, Innovative Growth, Health, and Training in Pediatric Dentistry) – advances UCLA’s longstanding mission to prepare future dental leaders who can deliver culturally competent, evidence-based care across diverse communities in a multidisciplinary curriculum.

“This HRSA award reaffirms UCLA’s leadership in shaping a workforce capable of advancing health equity through prevention, community engagement, innovation, and medical/dental integration,” said Dr. Ramos-Gomez, who serves as Professor and Chair of Pediatric Dentistry. “Our BRIGHT framework ensures every trainee emerges prepared to champion family-centered, culturally proactive, and responsive care that transforms children’s lives.”

There are four actionable goals for the 2025–2029 grant cycle:
1. Expand Access through Community Health Workers (CHWs):
Integrate bilingual CHWs into the pediatric residency and teledentistry programs to reach rural, Spanish-speaking, and underserved communities by 2026. This model, rooted in community partnership, exemplifies the Section of Pediatric Dentistry’s decades-long commitment to community-based prevention and early intervention.

2. Strengthen Training for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD):
Collaborate with UCLA’s Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior to design ASD-specific curricula and clinical experiences. This initiative underscores the program’s focus on neurodiversity-affirming, trauma-informed care for children with complex behavioral and developmental needs.

3. Cultivate the Next Generation of Public Health Leaders:
Support pediatric residents in pursuing dual D.D.S./M.P.H. degrees through the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. This cross-disciplinary training empowers future dental professionals to influence policy, research, and systems-level change to eliminate oral health disparities.

4. Expand Interprofessional and Community-Based Training:
Provide over 460 hours of field experience per resident and train more than 280 providers through collaborative rotations at partner sites, including the Wilson-Jennings-Bloomfield UCLA Venice Dental Center and other community-based health centers. These partnerships reinforce the integration of oral health within broader primary care and public health frameworks.

As oral health disparities widen across vulnerable populations, this renewed HRSA support empowers UCLA to continue building a diverse, community equity-oriented pediatric oral health workforce—one grounded in science, patient/family engagement, advocacy, multidisciplinary, and community partnership.