Tina Patel Gunaldo, PhD, DPT, MHS, is the director for the Center for Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice at LSUHSC-NO. She
also serves on the American Interprofessional Health Collaborative Scholarship Committee, Louisiana Immunization Workgroup supporting a
collaborative approach to increasing immunization rates, and contributes to the development of the Louisiana Area Health Education Center’s Scholar curricular program. Gunaldo is the co-editor in chief for the Health,
Interprofessional Practice and Education Journal and a co-editor for the textbook Interprofessional Education and Collaboration: An Evidence-Based
Approach to Optimizing Health Care.
By supporting the prescription drug monitoring program, promoting the proper disposal of opioids, and encouraging opioid stewardship, dental hygienists can make a difference in this public health issue.