Pennsylvania Dental Students And HIV Care Service Begin Dental Outreach Programme
Students from Pennsylvania University have joined forces with Philadelphia FIGHT to provide dental care for patients with HIV and AIDS. Philadelphia FIGHT is the largest provider of care for those with HIV in the city.
Three students from the university’s school of dental medicine and faculty members from the division of community oral health, have linked up with the organisation to improve access to dental services for those affected by HIV. Despite the fact that patients with HIV are often very cautious with their health, many slip through the net when it comes to dental care and this new initiative is a means of preventing this from happening.
The programme, which launched in November, aims to provide dental care, as well as education and information about oral hygiene and oral health.
The three students, Jonathan Vo, Tyler Smith and Kari Hexem, already had connections with Phildelphia FIGHT before the programme was launched and were eager to continue the relationship, having spent time interning and volunteering. Hexem described the service provided by the organisation as “amazingly comprehensive”, but noticed that it was difficult to organise dental care; she wanted to do something to bridge this gap and along with her fellow students, started to discuss the matter with faculty members.
With the help of funding, FIGHT was able to purchase portable dental equipment and the students now offer a screening service, as well as basic dental care under the supervision of trained dentists.
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