CHCCC & USC THE CALIFORNIA PIPELINE Sunny Sanaz Fereshteh, DDS

What is the California Pipeline Project? History, launched in 2001 Mission Initially a five-year program designed to help increase access to dental care for underserved populations Funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and The California Endowment 15 U.S. dental schools were selected

With the funding from the Dental Pipeline program, dental schools are required to: Establish community-based clinical education programs Revise didactic and clinical curricula Integrate community-based practice experiences into their educational programs Increase recruitment and retention students Increase access to low to free care

CHCCC & USC Began collaboration in 2008 Externship program for senior dental students 4 to 6 week term Incorporates the students into patient-centered community health clinics Mentoring & guided practice by licensed dentists among the 5 dental sites & 2 mobile clinics Providers serve as adjunct faculty of the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry

The Externship: Each students provide treatment to 8 to 12 patients daily. Students are assigned their own dental assistant. Treatments included extractions, root canals, crowns, bridges, fillings, pulpotomies, prophies, sealants, and exams. Students are given credit for treatments completed to apply to their graduation requirements.

Benefits for the Students: Gaining speed &efficiency in procedures Increased experience with treatments that are more common in a public health Working with an office staff and dental assistants. Experience in daily operations of a dental practice/community health center. Direct supervision by Faculty Exposure to wide range of provider’s experience and expertise. Experience with patients from diverse backgrounds.

Benefits for CHC: Increase access to patients from the community Decrease cost Increase funding and resources Recruiting qualified new graduates Adjunct faculty privileges to providers USC CE courses offered to CHCCC at a discount. Increase in the provider’s productivity by 50% when overseeing a student.

Benefits for the Patients: Increasing quality of care Lower cost Obtain treatments in timely manner Access to more treatments Improve overall health and dental health

Initial Problems and Solutions Housing Transportation Credit towards requirements Patient consent Diverse treatments Credentialed faculty

RESULTS: Over 1500 patients of the Central Coast have been treated by the dental students. Students see approximately the same amount of patients in 5 weeks at CHC as they do in 2 trimesters at USC. Students are 3 to 4 times more productive at CHC than in dental school clinics. Among the 35 students that have participated in the externship, 4 of the former students have become providers at CHC and numerous others have applied.

QUOTES from Former Students: “I learned more in these last five weeks, than I did during a semester of treating patients in dental school.” ~Anita Imadomwanyi “I understand now the magnitude of my role as a dentist and my obligation to serve my patients and my community.” ~Heather Stephens This externship allowed me to expand my knowledge, skills and improve the doctor/patient relationship, making myself a better person professionally and personally. ~Manuel Cruz “Most of the patients were Medical patients. This makes me wonder what these individuals would do for healthcare if this program is cut for patients and families.” ~Jonathan Bultema

THANK YOU! QUESTIONS???