Lasting Impressions | Fall 2015

NSU COLLEGE OF DENTAL MEDICINE © 5 childhood decay in their children, a topic she said she is still extremely interested in. “Much is changing in the field and future dentists are going to be more exposed to public health issues. Dentistry is moving away from focusing on the individual being treated and more on working with the collective community.” The message is clear, she said. “We need to build our public health workforce.” Linda C. Niessen, D.M.D., M.P.H., M.P.P., dean of the College of Dental Medicine, emphasized the importance of the commitment the college has to training dental students in the area of public health. “Our students continue to have rotations at community locations that provide dental care for patients with HIV, for children who are both healthy and medically complex, and at the Henry Schein Special Needs Clinical Suite,” she said. “Our students learn to care for medically and physically complex patients. As graduates, they continue to provide care to these patients.” IN THE FIELD The Caridad Center in Boynton Beach—which operates free medical and dental clinics that provide health services to the uninsured, working-poor families of Palm Beach County—recently reestablished its affiliation with NSU’s dentistry residency program. Pediatric residents arrive at the clinic two days a week, according to C.B. Wohl, M.P.H., clinic director at the Caridad Center. “NSU dental residents have enabled us to increase the number of pediatric patients we see,’’ she said. “We have close to doubled our capacity in pediatric dentistry, and that is in large part being attributed to NSU students being here.” Dental education is vital at Caridad, and not just for the clinic’s patients. Preventive measures are discussed with families who arrive at Caridad, and children are on a six- month check up schedule. “When the dental residents are here, they are gaining this kind of access to treating and educating a population they might never see when they go into private practice. When they are in a public health envi- ronment, they are learning the tremendous value that they provide. It might spur them to want to continue on this track,” said Wohl. Karen McKenzie, D.M.D. (’07), said one day she’ll return to NSU for her M.P.H. The director of dental services for Central Florida Health Care, a federally qualified health care facility that services the uninsured and underinsured in Florida’s Polk, Highlands, and Hardee counties, said that she’ll pursue the degree when she becomes fully staffed and can delegate some duties. But for now, there are other more pressing matters, such as the newWinter Haven dental facility that she’s opening with funds provided by Polk County, and an Access Point Grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) that will help open a clinic in Mulberry, Florida. “When these opportunities come to you to provide more help, you need to strike while the iron is hot,” said McKenzie, who began at the central Florida health care clinic in 2007 after an introduction to the clinic by another NSU graduate, Marilyn Rilly, D.M.D. (’06). “She asked if I could come and help out for a year, and I’m still here,” she said. The clinic services central Florida’s migrant communities. And because of its rural location, there are challenges, said McKenzie. “The demand is great, but we don’t have enough hands to see all the patients, so we do what we can. When I’m discussing salary, I tell dentists, ‘I can’t compare with private practice, but what I can offer you is the chance to make a huge difference in a community.’ ” Mostly, the dentists she employs are “just out of dental school and will sign a two-year contract, get the experience, and then go into private practice” or professionals who are seeking retirement, but don’t want to give up practicing dentistry entirely. “They’ve made their money and now they want to give back,” McKenzie said. Patient care is funded by Medicaid or by Polk County. The county pays for those who can show proof of residency, and then requires the patient to pay $25 out of pocket. She shares a letter exchange that she has just had with a prospective can- didate where she lays out what her subsidized clinics can offer. “I know that we can’t match any monetary offers that you may be considering; it’s the intan- gibles that I’m hoping make a difference in your deci- sion—the opportunity to work at an HRSA Accred- itation and Patient- Centered Medical Home, a federal recognition initia- tive that supports health cen- ters working toward ‘better care