Extensive community outreach is a key component of our school’s mission. Faculty, dental students and residents have the opportunity to participate in a range of outreach programs throughout our local and South Texas communities, providing services to more than 36,000 underserved individuals annually.
Summer clinical/Community externship (SELC # 7011)
Rising DS3 students will develop and implement patient education and community outreach services for the clinic, as well as assist any rising DS4 students also assigned to the same clinic for a required summer selective. Sites are located in San Antonio, Laredo and Harlingen. For sites outside of San Antonio, housing will be provided and one round trip travel expense will be reimbursed to the driver. Students will be asked to drive in pairs.
Heroes for the homeless, Haven for Hope, SACDC/ Mobile dental van (SELC # 8221)
Rising DS4s will participate in a primary care/preventive dentistry elective training program in which primary dental care is provided in a non-conventional setting, using Mobile Dental van. Students participate in accordance with their level of training and ability, by providing needed dental care to the homeless and patients of all ages from shelters, thus becoming familiar with the oral health needs of various segments of the population. Dental care is provided under the direct supervision of Dental School faculty, including adjunct faculty from the private sector.
Mission Dental Care Selective (SELC # 8035)
The Christian Medical-Dental Association (CMDA) sponsors weekend Mission trips (6-8) to the US/Mexican border region during the academic year. Students (8-12/trip) at all levels sign up for this program. Students travel to churches, community centers, or schools located in communities on the US side of the border (Del Rio, Eagle Pass, or Laredo) to provide basic primary, preventive, and emergency dental care under the supervision of dental school faculty, including adjunct faculty members.
Community Clinical Selective (SELC # 7011/8032)
Each summer, the Dental School (through the South Texas Border Initiative) offers an elective outreach program (two weeks) which assigns students in teams (DS I’s, II’s, & III’s) to affiliated clinics in South Texas (Brownsville, Harlingen, Raymondville, Laredo, Eagle Pass and Del Rio). Dental students provide dental care to patients under the supervision of adjunct faculty at the designated affiliated clinic sites. Housing is provided by AHEC.
Preventive Dentistry Selective (SELC # 7120)
Rising DS2 students, during the summer, will rotate to Mercy Ministries of Laredo or to the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) School of Medicine to participate in a preventive dentistry outreach selective which requires the students to work in the colonias of Laredo/Webb County, and various other colonias located in the Upper, Mid, and Lower Rio Grande Valley Regions of South Texas. Students work with other organizations, health professionals, medical students, and colonia residents to develop educational programs focusing on preventing dental disease and raising the level of awareness of the importance of oral health to general health. Housing is provided by AHEC.
Community Service Selective (SELC # 7088)
This elective was established several years ago when dental students submitted a proposal to the Curriculum Committee to create a vehicle by which students could interact with the local community by participating in such projects as Habitat for Humanity (building homes for the poor), United Way’s Days of Caring/Sharing, Christmas Under the Bridge (for the homeless); Jimenez Thanksgiving Dinner and the HEB Christmas Dinner (feeding the poor); KLRN TV (phone bank for public television); Big Brother/Big Sister program (working w/ youth); etc. Students also volunteer at Morgan’s Wonderland to assist at this theme park for children with special needs, and at the Children’s Shelter, where they assist with programs for children who are away from their families.
Community Service Program in conjunction with Edgewood Independent School District
Second graders from EISD (> 700) receive preventive dental care services at the UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry. These clinics are held during two half days in February each year.
Roy Cisneros Elementary School (half day) This is part of a required course in School-Based Preventive Dentistry. The Freshman dental students teach oral hygiene instruction and nutritional counseling to 2nd and 3rd graders. This is a component of INTD 5030.
Head Start Centers in San Antonio (one day) Students participate in a fluoride varnish program as one of the INTD 5030 rotations.
Ricardo Salinas Clinic (Pediatric Dentistry) (half day) Participation is part of a required course in Sophomore Clinic.
Roy Cisneros Elementary School, Edgewood Independent School District (half day) Sophomore dental students provide sealants for the children who have parental consent to participate as part of a required course in School-Based Preventive Dentistry.
San Antonio Metropolitan Health District Sealant Program (SAMHD) (two days) Sealants are provided to children at elementary school locations affiliated with the city of San Antonio Metro Health Program as part of School-Based Preventive Dentistry.
Ricardo Salinas Clinic (one and a half days) This is part of a required course in Pediatric Dentistry.
Affiliated Clinics in South Texas (two weeks) Junior dental students rotate during the summer period for a minimum of two weeks. Housing is provided. This is a required clinical selective program.
Ricardo Salinas Clinic (3.5 days) Students receive pediatric dentistry training. This program is conducted by the Department of Developmental Dentistry and is a required rotation in the curriculum.
Laredo Health Department (4.5 days) Students receive pediatric dentistry training. This program takes place at the Laredo Health Department, located in Laredo, Texas. It is conducted by the Department of Developmental Dentistry and is a required rotation in the curriculum.
San Antonio Christian Dental Clinic (4.5 days) This clinic is located at the Haven for Hope Homeless facility in downtown San Antonio to provide primary dental care services for special needs patients including the homeless and underserved patients served by the site. This clinical rotation is a component of GEND 8077.
South Texas Rotation - (two weeks) Senior dental students rotate to one of four clinic systems in South Texas for a minimum of two weeks as part of GEND 8077. Students provide primary dental care services under the supervision of adjunct faculty at the sites (Harlingen, Laredo or San Antonio).
COSTEP / Indian Health Service Externship program (SELC # 7010)
Junior dental students are also encouraged to apply for the COSTEP or the Indian Health Service Externship program conducted by the U.S. Public Health Service. Students selected through this program are assigned to dental clinics on Indian reservations for a period of 2-4 weeks. The dental students provide dental care to Native American populations under the supervision of IHS Dental Commissioned Corps Officers and are exposed to the Public Health Service mission.