COPPR
The Center for Oral Disease Prevention and Population Health Research (COPPR) often works closely with the School of Dental Medicine’s Department of Community Dentistry and Population Health to support activities related to its mission. Additionally, COPPR has several Anschutz Medical Campus collaborations, along with community engagements.
These include:
• COAST-IT - Connecting Older Adults and Students Through Interprofessional Telecare. Pairs older adults who may be experiencing loneliness or social isolation with a CU Anschutz health professional student for weekly conversations.
• CU Multidisciplinary Center on Aging - In
collaboration with the School of Dental Medicine and the Center on
Aging, a webinar series was developed for community-living older adults
focusing on Oral Health. Four presentations covering various aspects of
oral health were produced in Fall 2021.
• Head Start - Dental students provided Head Start children with oral health education, screenings, fluoride varnish and referral, as needed. Dental students provided education, oral screenings, and fluoride varnish to adults in refugee/immigrant residential housing. Dental students, along with medical and pharmacy students, took part in a health fair night at New America School. This event was for the local community.
• Head Start - Dental students provided Head Start children with oral health education, screenings, fluoride varnish and referral, as needed. Dental students provided education, oral screenings, and fluoride varnish to adults in refugee/immigrant residential housing. Dental students, along with medical and pharmacy students, took part in a health fair night at New America School. This event was for the local community.
COPPR Connects
Learning modules and webinars to come.
Events
November 2022: Dental students participated in the Trails Recreation Center Fitness and Wellness Fair. Students gave out toothbrushes and spoke to the attendees about the importance of dental health and how to become a patient at the School of Dental Medicine.
October 2022: Colorado Mission of Mercy (COMOM) was held on September 30th and October 1st at the Colorado State Fairgrounds in Pueblo. COMOM is a large, 125+ chair, mobile dental clinic where dentists, hygienists, assistants, and community members come together for 2 days to provide free dental care to those with fewer resources. Dental students volunteered to help with patient coordination, assisting dentists, helping in sterilization, and more!
September 2022: ISP students provided dental screenings, fluoride varnish, education and a lot of high-fives to children at Grace Apartments, a housing community where many refugee and immigrant families from southeast Asian countries reside.
August 2022: Students from CU Smiles of Pride, in conjunction with Kids in Need of Dentistry (KIND), gave out toothbrushes and oral health information at Adams 12 Five Star School's Back to School Bash.
July 2022: Dental students participated in two events through CU Street Medicine, a student interest group that connects students on the CU Anschutz Medical Campus with community partners who offer medical and non-clinical services to people experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity. The goal is to reduce inequities and improve access to healthcare and resources for persons experiencing homelessness by:
- Building trust and lasting relationships
- Developing networks of volunteers, community allies and organizations
- Conducting health screenings at shelters & encampments
- Reinforcing primary care by referring patients to local Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs)
- Providing interprofessional education and opportunities for volunteers
April 2022: Dental students provided oral health education to an after-school program at Grace Apartments. Grace Apartments, part of Mercy Housing, is family housing comprised of refugees and immigrants, primarily from southeast Asian countries like Bhutan, Nepal, and Burma.
April 2022: Over 50 children and their parents attended a Think Like a Scientist fair at Paris Elementary School, where dental students gave oral health education presentations and spoke to the children about being a dentist.
April 2022: Dental students participated in a health fair for students at Sixth Avenue Elementary School.
January & February 2022: Dental students provided dental health education at the Academy of Advanced Learning to 3rd and 4th grade students.