UK Dentistry Students Travel to Central America

Begin Date: 
Saturday, September 30, 2017 - 1:00pm
Location: 
UKCD

The University of Kentucky College of Dentistry is partnering with UKCD graduate Dr. Craig Adams and the Restoration Community Church in Raleigh, North Carolina to offer fourth-year dentistry students the opportunity to take part in a faculty-directed clinical rotation in Nicaragua. Participants in the program will depart from the U.S. on Saturday, September 30, and return on Saturday, October 7.

This will be the College of Dentistry’s first time hosting an education abroad trip in Nicaragua. Students will work primarily in the capital city of Managua and will provide dental exams, cleanings, fillings, and extractions. UKCD Faculty Director Dr. Robert Taylor says that seeing what the profession has to offer firsthand could be a life-changing experience for students.

"Everyone thinks of private practice when they think dentistry, but it's so much more than that," he said. "Missions, public health, academics, and military all have opportunities within the profession. The need [in Nicaragua] far exceeds the amount of care being provided. This is a chance for them to see what a dental mission field looks like."

The clinical rotation itself will meet part of the requirements for UKCD course CDE 850: Extramural Experience for Student Dentists, which focuses on providing students opportunities for short-term rotations in alternative settings. UK Dentistry students will work alongside an existing Nicaraguan interprofessional team to serve the needs of the local population, but primarily those of children. Additionally, students will engage in community education and leadership development as they teach the local youth population about best practices in oral health.

Make a Gift Your gifts help support the academic, research and patient care missions of the UK College of Dentistry. Make a gift now.