Paul Ambrose Scholar: Emily Starman; University of Iowa School of Dentistry

Community-Based Project Name: Open Heartland: A Pilot Project to Increase Access to Oral Health Care 

The Paul Ambrose Scholars Program prepares public health and clinical health professions students to promote change and be leaders in addressing population health challenges at the national and community level.  Students commit their time and effort to improve health within their communities through the planning and implementation of a community-based project.

This project was to establish a working partnership between the University of Iowa College of Dentistry (COD) and Open Heartland. Open Heartland is a grass roots organization in Iowa City, IA that works with Hispanic, Spanish-speaking immigrant families to provide community resources, including healthcare. I worked with COD administration and faculty to develop a pilot program to refer patients from the UI Mobile Clinic to the COD. Patients were ideally going to see fourth year students in the Family Dentistry clinic for comprehensive exams and radiographs free of cost. A treatment plan could then be developed and completed with a payment plan based on the Iowa Medicaid fee schedule. This was significant since most all adults are not eligible for Medicaid or dental insurance due to their immigration and/or citizenship status. A dental event was held separately from the UI Mobile Clinic at Open Heartland in January 2022 to establish a patient pool for the pilot program. An educational activity for children and educational flip books in Spanish were also used/made. Patients were selected based on evidence of urgent dental needs and desire to be treated at the COD. Seven adult patients were ultimately selected and contacted to make appointments in Family Dentistry with me (Emily Starman, D4) as their clinician. Comprehensive exams, radiographs, and treatment plan formulation was completed for each pilot patient, including extensive oral health education. All appointments were completed using an interpreter over the phone. Patients will then be scheduled with new fourth year students after my graduation to complete treatment in Fall 2022 as necessary.

Project Timeline

• August 2021: Opened Heartland Mobile Clinic #1 in Iowa City, IA
• October 2021: Opened Heartland Mobile Clinic #2
  
• January 2022: Dental Event at Open Heartland
  
• March-May 2022: Saw patients for comprehensive exam, cleanings, and treatment planning.
  
• May 2022: Opened Heartland Mobile Clinic
  
• May- June 2022: Plan for future patient care and pilot programming with mobile clinic patients