Page 11 - WesternU View - Spring 2015
P. 11
The four oral health centers
provide a more comfortable and
“I’m excited that we’re convenient environment for
offering this service children to receive dental care.
not only to show these Children seem to more readily
students what’s jump into a dental chair at
possible, but to really school than if they’re brought
have hands-on to a dental office, Martinez said.
support for a
community in need.” Poor oral health correlates with
poor school performance.
– PUSD Superintendent
Richard Martinez “One goal is to be able to keep
children healthy, and hopefully
improve school performance as
entities interested in high-quality education in the well, and decrease school absenteeism,” Martinez said.
health sciences, with a rigorous curriculum, high
expectations and great outcomes, he said. The oral health center will provide Palomares students
with a firsthand example of community service, said
Friedrichsen also acknowledged the key role played by Palomares Academy of Health Sciences Principal
First 5 LA, a unique child-advocacy organization Camille Ramos-Beal, EdD.
created by California voters to invest tobacco tax
revenues in programs aimed at improving the lives of “Something we try to do at Palomares is instill the
children in Los Angeles County, from prenatal value of service,” she said. “We also promote college
through age 5. First 5 LA provided funding for the and career readiness. For our students to see
school-based oral health centers in PUSD. professional dentists and dental students, you have a
built-in mentor, something to aspire toward.”
WesternU’s College of Dental Medicine (CDM) has
created a community model that emphasizes getting Palomares has about 460 students in grades 7-12 who
children into the oral health care delivery system, or learn about a variety of health sciences careers.
dental homes, by age 1. Other goals include Palomares senior Luis Moreno said he wants to be an
sustainability and getting dental students comfortable anesthesiologist.
with treating young patients.
“I like taking on a lot of responsibility,” he said. “I like
CDM has four comprehensive oral health centers in helping people. It’s a big responsibility.”
the Pomona Unified School District, with the focus on Having the dental center on campus will provide a lot
serving children 0-5 years old. College of Dental of opportunities for students, Moreno said.
Medicine faculty and students assess patients and
provide dental care and preventative and educational “I know a lot of students are interested in this type of
services. Each school-based oral health center has four field,” he said. “I think it’s great for them to come in
chairs, and each site sees roughly 18 patients per day, and experience the real world of how it’s going to be.
said College of Dental Medicine Associate Dean for It’s great how our school gives us not only one option
Community Partnerships and Access to Care Timothy but several options of careers we would like to take.”
Martinez, DMD. Initially, the Palomares site will be – Rodney Tanaka
open on Tuesdays.
WesternU View Spring 2015 9
provide a more comfortable and
“I’m excited that we’re convenient environment for
offering this service children to receive dental care.
not only to show these Children seem to more readily
students what’s jump into a dental chair at
possible, but to really school than if they’re brought
have hands-on to a dental office, Martinez said.
support for a
community in need.” Poor oral health correlates with
poor school performance.
– PUSD Superintendent
Richard Martinez “One goal is to be able to keep
children healthy, and hopefully
improve school performance as
entities interested in high-quality education in the well, and decrease school absenteeism,” Martinez said.
health sciences, with a rigorous curriculum, high
expectations and great outcomes, he said. The oral health center will provide Palomares students
with a firsthand example of community service, said
Friedrichsen also acknowledged the key role played by Palomares Academy of Health Sciences Principal
First 5 LA, a unique child-advocacy organization Camille Ramos-Beal, EdD.
created by California voters to invest tobacco tax
revenues in programs aimed at improving the lives of “Something we try to do at Palomares is instill the
children in Los Angeles County, from prenatal value of service,” she said. “We also promote college
through age 5. First 5 LA provided funding for the and career readiness. For our students to see
school-based oral health centers in PUSD. professional dentists and dental students, you have a
built-in mentor, something to aspire toward.”
WesternU’s College of Dental Medicine (CDM) has
created a community model that emphasizes getting Palomares has about 460 students in grades 7-12 who
children into the oral health care delivery system, or learn about a variety of health sciences careers.
dental homes, by age 1. Other goals include Palomares senior Luis Moreno said he wants to be an
sustainability and getting dental students comfortable anesthesiologist.
with treating young patients.
“I like taking on a lot of responsibility,” he said. “I like
CDM has four comprehensive oral health centers in helping people. It’s a big responsibility.”
the Pomona Unified School District, with the focus on Having the dental center on campus will provide a lot
serving children 0-5 years old. College of Dental of opportunities for students, Moreno said.
Medicine faculty and students assess patients and
provide dental care and preventative and educational “I know a lot of students are interested in this type of
services. Each school-based oral health center has four field,” he said. “I think it’s great for them to come in
chairs, and each site sees roughly 18 patients per day, and experience the real world of how it’s going to be.
said College of Dental Medicine Associate Dean for It’s great how our school gives us not only one option
Community Partnerships and Access to Care Timothy but several options of careers we would like to take.”
Martinez, DMD. Initially, the Palomares site will be – Rodney Tanaka
open on Tuesdays.
WesternU View Spring 2015 9
