On Saturday, September 9, 2017, 25 DMD/DMD Advanced Standing (AS) students and four faculty members from Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM) volunteered at the Mattapan Community Health Center’s Health Revival event, held outdoors in Mattapan, MA.
The volunteers from GSDM set up two areas at the Mattapan Community Health Center’s Health Revival event: one area for adults and one area for children. At these oral health areas, the GSDM volunteers promoted oral health and provided oral health screenings for the attendees.
The Mattapan Community Health Center’s Health Revival event is a collaborative effort with GSDM’s chapter of the Student Chapter of the National Dental Association (SNDA). The mission of the Mattapan Community Health Center is to improve the quality of life for residents of Mattapan and the surrounding communities by providing comprehensive, accessible, affordable, and culturally appropriate community health care services. This includes primary and preventive health services. Mattapan Community Health Center is the only community health center in Mattapan and Hyde Park.
GSDM volunteers were at the Mattapan Community Health Center’s Health Revival event from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. While the volunteers provided approximately 60 screenings, they interacted with dozens more attendees, promoting positive oral health habits.
“The Mattapan Community Health Center’s Health Revival event provided an excellent opportunity for GSDM’s DMD and DMD AS students to interact with local families and learn about some of the health issues they face,” said Clinical Instructor in the Department of Health Policy & Health Services Research and Oral Health Promotion Director Ms. Kathy Lituri. “I know all the GSDM volunteers were also able to benefit from their service to the Mattapan community.”
Dean Jeffrey W. Hutter remarked, “Our students and faculty have a strong track record of lending a helping hand to the surrounding community.” He continued, “I am very proud of the GSDM community members who volunteered to provide dental screenings and other oral health information and programing at the Mattapan Community Health Center’s Health Revival event.”
GSDM student volunteers:
Mahmoud Al Homsi DMD AS 19; Joseph Absi DMD 21; Kiniya Abtahi DMD 19; Hossam Asaad DMD AS 19; Giovanni Avila DMD 21; Robert Baldi DMD 19; Ayman Bazerbashi DMD 21; Wenyong Dai DMD AS 19; Rowan Doyle DMD 19; Ibi Etomi DMD 21; Andrea Fernandez DMD 21; Eshere Gbarbea DMD 19; Tamara Gordon; DMD 18; Zahra Gulamhussein DMD AS 19; Kendra Hackman DMD 21; Mei-Hsuan Ki DMD AS 19; Wei Liu DMD AS 19; Benjamin Longo DMD 20; Gibran Mangui DMD 21; Jordan Nosis DMD 20; Avani Patel DMD AS 19; Cassandra Pierre-Jerome DMD 21; Maria Sqapi DMD 21; Zoya Tharani DMD 21; and Justine Yeung DMD 19.
GSDM faculty volunteers:
Dr. Lina Benslimane, Clinical Instructor in the Department of Health Policy & Health Services Research; Dr. Larry Dunham, Director of Diversity & Multicultural Affairs and Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of General Dentistry; Ms. Kathy Lituri, Clinical Instructor in the Department of Health Policy & Health Services Research and Oral Health Promotion Director; and Dr. Martin Ugarte-Chavez, Clinical Instructor in the Department of Health Policy & Health Services Research.