Student Rotations to Expand Care in Napa and Merced Counties

The Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry recently received the first community- based clinical education grant from the California Dental Association (CDA) Foundation, in partnership with the California Office of Oral Health. The grant will allow the school to expand oral health care at community health centers serving Napa County and the city of Livingston in Merced County.

The funding will be used to establish new clinical rotations for senior students in the Doctor of Dental Surgery and International Dental Studies programs. Students will participate in two-week rotations at two Napa clinic locations of CommuniCare+OLE (formerly OLE Health) and the Livingston Community Health campus. The locations serve patients who come from areas in the state categorized by the Health Resources and Services Administration as dental health professional shortage areas.

“Dental students are the future of our profession’s workforce,” said Dr. Richard Graham, chair of the CDA Foundation board of directors. “Increasing their learning experiences with historically underserved communities will help them better address existing health inequities throughout the state.”

The CDA Foundation approved two years of funding at approximately $550,000 to support these rotations. The school can apply for additional funding in future years to support new community outreach rotations.

“It has been a great experience to work with dental students during their clinical rotations. This partnership has created a learning opportunity for students as well as professional development opportunities for the staff,” said Dr. Pawanjeet Singh Pannu, dental director of Livingston Community Health. “Having students at our clinic site has increased access to care for our patients.”

In addition to these new rotations, the Dugoni School of Dentistry currently offers extramural rotations at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, La Clinica de la Raza in Oakland, On Lok PACE in San Francisco, San Mateo Medical Center in Redwood City and Stanford Oral Medicine and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinic in Palo Alto.

Dean Nadershahi Receives Gies Award for Vision and Leadership

Dr. Nader A. Nadershahi ’94 was one of three recipients of the prestigious William J. Gies Award presented March 11, 2024 during the American Dental Education Association’s (ADEA) Annual Session in New Orleans, Louisiana. Named for dental education pioneer William J. Gies, PhD, this national award honors ADEA members, institutions or public/private partners whose work represents the highest order of innovation, achievement or vision and leadership in oral health and dental education. The Dugoni School has received five Gies Awards, more than any other dental school.

“This award recognizes the mentors, teachers, colleagues and students who have touched my life over the years,” said Nadershahi. “I feel fortunate to be a part of oral health education and this great profession.”

Nadershahi has served the profession and dental education in many capacities, including as chair of the ADEA board of directors from 2022 to 2023. During his deanship, he has led milestone projects such as strategic planning and implementation; the design and implementation of the school’s integrated curriculum and competencies; raising $69.3 million in a comprehensive fundraising campaign—the largest in the school’s history— that concluded in 2022; development of the university’s San Francisco campus facilities and online master’s programs; accreditation oversight; and the launch of new health science programs leading to the eventual creation of Pacific’s School of Health Sciences. Most recently, he helped spearhead the vision of the Pacific Health Care Collaborative and is leading the team that is designing and constructing the collaborative’s facilities near Pacific’s Sacramento campus.

Nadershahi has been actively involved in the profession and the broader community through many leadership roles at the California Dental Association, American Dental Association, American Dental Education Association, Santa Fe Group, California Health Workforce Education and Training Council, Bay Area Council and San Francisco Chamber of Commerce.

According to colleagues, his capacity to be an effective organizational leader, his professionalism and well demonstrated integrity and his promotion of humanism and ethical behavior—by setting an example in the positions he has held—have positively impacted the profession of dentistry

Dugoni School Named Dental Provider for San Mateo County Navigation Center

For many years, the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry has played a part in caring for homeless individuals through a long-standing partnership with Project Homeless Connect in San Francisco. The Dugoni School of Dentistry is taking a new step to broaden care for individuals in need of oral health services through a partnership in San Mateo County.

The school recently announced it will be the dental provider for the San Mateo County Navigation Center in Redwood City, a facility designed to help individuals who are experiencing homelessness transition into permanent housing. Participants will have the opportunity to receive medical, dental and other services, and to have access to specialists who work with clients towards self-sufficiency.

Alumni interested in learning more or getting involved may contact Dr. Elisa Chávez, professor in the Department of Diagnostic Sciences, at echavez@pacific.edu or (415) 749-3387.

Pacific Health Care Collaborative Brings Integrated Care, IDS Expansion to Sacramento

Construction continues to move forward on the Pacific Health Care Collaborative (PHCC), a first-of-its-kind integrated clinical facility in an academic health setting located in the Oak Park neighborhood near Pacific’s Sacramento campus. The 30,000-square-foot facility will offer students who are training to become healthcare professionals—including dentists, physicians, physician assistants, nurses, pharmacists, occupational therapists, registered dietitian nutritionists and social workers—the chance to learn and work together to provide holistic, comprehensive, patient-centered care.

The Dugoni School of Dentistry is doubling the cohort of its International Dental Studies (IDS) program, adding 30 Sacramento-based IDS students who will be among the students, staff and faculty providing care at the clinic when it opens in July 2024.

The dental school is leading the facility design in collaboration with partners at Pacific’s School of Health Sciences and Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy.

The clinic will include eight medical exam rooms, two medical procedure rooms, 30 dental operatories, an Ambulatory Surgery Center with two operating rooms, four enclosed sensory flexible medical/dental procedure rooms and a dedicated waiting area for patients with intellectual, developmental and acquired disabilities with sensory sensitivity. The facility will be able to serve an estimated 30,000 patients each year

In addition, a new mobile health clinic will help reach underserved patients across Sacramento and San Joaquin Counties. The mobile clinic will feature three exam or treatment areas that will be used for both oral and primary medical care.

By utilizing new models of patient care and research, the PHCC aims to improve overall health outcomes, lower costs, enhance the patient and provider experience and transform healthcare education and training.

Local dental professionals and other healthcare providers interested in teaching in the patient clinics or simulation clinic may contact Dr. Kim Benton, director of the PHCC, at kbenton1@pacific.edu or (628) 277-9406.

Philanthropic support for the PHCC includes a $4 million lead gift from Stephen and Pamela Thorne, and gifts from Delta Dental Community Care Foundation and Dugoni School supporter Dr. Ken Fat, among others. Facilities are scheduled to be completed soon, with a ribbon cutting set for June 3. To learn more, visit dental.pacific.edu/PHCC.