LUTHERAN MEDICAL CENTER, Brooklyn, NY
Project Title: SPNS Innovations in Oral Health Care Initiative
Organizational Setting:
Lutheran Medical Center,a part of Lutheran HealthCare, is a community and teaching hospital in New York City and complements the Lutheran Family Health Centers, one of the largest federally qualified health centers (FQHC) in the country.
Goals/Objectives:
The project has several elements, primarily to establish a comprehensive oral health treatment in the USVI for PLWHA; to establish rapid oral testing in dental settings in New York City, the USVI, and Arizona; to design a web-based curriculum to train a cadre of dental personnel skilled in the care of PLWHA; and to aim for an HIV Practice-based Research Network. Rapid testing will not be included in the evaluation phase.
Geographic Setting:
Rural
Location:
USVI: St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John (and New York City and Arizona for rapid oral testing).
Target Population:
612 people living with AIDS and new PLWHA in the USVI for comprehensive services and rapid testing; other groups in New York and Arizona for rapid testing.
Program Intervention/Services:
The project will expand oral health services in the USVI by enhancing facilities and equipment for the Department of Health, a school-based clinic, and one or more hospital-based facilities.
Program Staff:
Interestingly, primary program staff – principal investigator, project director, evaluation director are geographically spread across New York, Virginia and Florida. The Assistant Program Director, who is a dentist by profession, will be hired and located in the USVI. Dental residents will complement local staff, work under supervision, and will be trained in advanced general dentistry.
Partners & Linkages to Medical Care:
For this project, Lutheran will develop partnerships with health, educational and business agencies and organizations in New York City, the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI), the University of Michigan Schools of Dentistry and Public Health, and the Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health, among others.
Consumer Involvement:
This element will be addressed in the future.
Contact Information
Name & Title:
Neal A. Demby, DMD, MPH
Mailing Address:
Lutheran Medical Center, Department of Dental Medicine
150 55th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11220
Email: [email protected]
Telephone:
607-434-8724
Fax:
718-492-5090