For some UNC Adams School of Dentistry students, pursuing a global experience helped change their perspective and their future plans as they learned to work with limited resources and how to be culturally sensitive providers.
Students in the program can choose from 10 destinations (Brazil, Ghana, India, Japan, Malawi, Mexico, Moldova, Nepal, Turkey and Uganda), where they engage in a diverse range of activities that integrate clinical, academic, cultural and community-oriented work. Roxanne Chadderton, a global program associate at the dental school, said the students can observe clinical care in local clinics, hospitals and mobile dental units. They also participate in community outreach efforts, such as dental programs at schools, dental field camps and helping public health workers share basic oral health practices.
For students used to seeing patients and clinical care settings in the U.S., there are often surprises, but they are welcome ones.
Source: Dental students will put global experiences into practice / University of North Carolina