Other Features
Students Expand the Borders of Health
UT Dental Branch administrators credit their students for many of the community outreach programs the school offers. Many times, students come up with new ideas about public service, then seek faculty help to begin new programs. Annually, the dental branch provides $1.25 million in free or significantly discounted treatment to the needy.
“It's very eye-opening for our students to see the problems people have,” said Tracey Godwin, an assistant professor. “It opens hearts to see what's out there.”
 |
 |
|
Families began lining up at midnight when the UT Dental Branch and Greater Houston Dental Society hosted their Centennial Smiles II program in April 2005 |
|
In an era of increased demand for dentists because of professional retirements and the popularity of new cosmetic treatments, the UT Dental Branch is able to choose the kind of students it wants, administrators said.
“When I meet with prospective students,” Dean Flaitz said, “I tell them we can teach them to have great hands. We already know that they have gifted minds or they wouldn't have made it to the interview stage.
“What we are looking for are students with big hearts who are socially aware and who want to make a difference in the health of others.”
"We see patients, not diseases."
“I'm so impressed with our students,” said Kishore Shetty, associate professor and director of special patients. “We aren't treating patients' mouths. We're treating the whole body. We see patients, not diseases.”
In what Dean Flaitz calls the “golden age of dentistry,” when new treatments have been discovered and refined, UT Dental Branch is clear about maintaining its priorities. As the only dental school in the fourth largest city in the United States and one of only three in the state, the dental branch is committed to providing affordable and quality care to the underserved and to discover ways to prevent and cure disease. In this prosperous country of good teeth and white smiles, too many still need to be educated about taking care of their teeth and gums. Too many lack access to basic dental care.
“We want to spread the message that oral health is associated with quality of life and good overall health,” Dean Flaitz said. “This isn't about just giving picture-perfect smiles.
“It's about giving someone a fresh start and helping them take control of their lives.”
-- Ruth Pennebaker
Page- 1, 2
601 Colorado Street || Austin, TX 78701-2982 || Telephone: (512) 499-4200
Home || Email Comments || Directory || Open Records || Privacy Policy || Reports to the State