Dental Pipeline Champions

November 08, 2023
Eight faculty and advisors pose for a photo outside on a bright day.
Dr. Deirdre Williams, right, and Dr. Joni Nelson, left, are joined by faculty champions from Allen University, Claflin University, Clinton College, SC State University, and Voorhees University.

College of Dental Medicine launches faculty champion initiative by partnering with HBCUs through a grant from CareQuest Foundation

Dental Pipeline Champions initiative launches

The Dental Pipeline Champions initiative seeks to strengthen partnerships between MUSC and historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in South Carolina and enhance faculty efficacy to advise and mentor their undergraduate students interested in pre-dental careers and improve diversity in the oral health workforce.
‌
On Sept. 22, the James B. Edward College of Dental Medicine convened a statewide launch of the project at its Center for Rural Oral Health Research and Community Engagement in Mullins, SC. The program is led by associate professors Joni D. Nelson, Ph.D., in the Department of Biomedical & Community Health Sciences, and Deirdre Williams, D.D.S., in the Department of Advanced Specialty Sciences.

“Through this initiative, we will provide faculty champions with technical assistance for mentorship, resources, and training activities to codify their reach to promote dental medicine and dental-related careers within their academic programs and provide stipend support," said Dr. Nelson, chief of the Division of Population Oral Health.

Faculty champions are active advisors or initiators of a pre-dental student organization. The HBCU partners are Allen University, Claflin University, Clinton College, SC State University, and Voorhees University.

About the Center for Rural Oral Health Research and Community Engagement

MUSC's Center for Rural Oral Health Research and Community Engagement supports oral health in rural South Carolina. It officially opened with a ribbon cutting on July 25.

The center serves as the Pee Dee regional site for the College of Dental Medicine's research, professional development, and oral health outreach activities in rural communities.

About 20 people stand outside a red brick office. The front row holds a bright ribbon with a bow in the middle, which a woman in a jacket prepares to snip.

Funding for the center and its projects comes from the Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation of South Carolina and a variety of federal grants.

The team, led by Amy Martin, DrPH, chair and professor, Department of Biomedical and Community Health Sciences, works with regional healthcare providers and dental practices to improve access to oral health care. A dedicated program manager is based full-time in the center.

The office does not provide direct patient care.

More from the College of Dental Medicine

MUSC expands rural healthcare access in South Carolina through multiple complementary approaches
Supporting oral health providers
Division of Population Oral Health