University of Maryland Offers Dental Certification for Healthcare Providers
The University of Maryland School of Dentistry (UMSOD) in Baltimore has created a graduate program in oral health and dental medicine for nondental healthcare providers.
The University of Maryland School of Dentistry (UMSOD) in Baltimore has created a graduate program in oral health and dental medicine for nondental healthcare providers such as nurses and physician assistants. With the ultimate goal of improving patient outcomes, the Certificate in Oral Health Science Program is designed to assist healthcare providers in recognizing and managing oral health infections, diseases, and systemic conditions. It is a post-baccalaureate course of study that includes five classes:
- Oral Infection and Disease: Foundations for Recognition
- Contemporary Oral Therapeutics in Oral Medicine and Dentistry
- Complex Interplay: The Relationship between Oral Health and Systemic Disease
- Prevention and Oral Health Promotion
- Clinical Practicum in Oral Health Care Delivery and Oral Dental Radiology
Combining in-person instruction with online learning, the course can be completed part-time in less than 2 years. As the management of oral health becomes more integrated with medical care, this program hopes to create leaders in new models of healthcare delivery that are based on multidisciplinary care.
Some of the highlights of the Certificate in Oral Health Science Program include:
- Designed for the working healthcare professional.
- Students will learn how to incorporate oral health services into care management.
- Participants will learn how to evaluate and recognize acute and chronic oral conditions and diseases.
- Enrollees will gain an understanding of the impact of oral disease on healthcare delivery and patients’ overall well-being and health.
- Students will be trained in oral dental radiology and will be prepared for dental radiology certification.
This graduate certificate program will provide trained healthcare professionals with the tools necessary for better communication and collaboration within healthcare teams and improve patient care outcomes through oral healthcare management.
From Dimensions of Dental Hygiene. June 2020;18(6):10.
