Penn Dental Medicine Presents CE Program in Jamaica to Help Improve Care for Persons with Disabilities

Philadelphia – Penn Dental Medicine shared its expertise in caring for persons with disabilities with dental care providers from throughout Jamaica at a 1 ½ -day hands-on continuing education program, held October 9-10 in Negril, Jamaica. The program was presented in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Wellness and Chief Dental Officer Dr. Irving McKenzie as well as the Jamaica Association of Public Dental Surgeons and drew 144 attendees from throughout the country.

“Our goal with this training was to equip dental professionals with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to provide accessible, high-quality care to individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities,” says Penn Dental Medicine’s Morton Amsterdam Dean, Dr. Mark S. Wolff, who along with three other Penn Dental Medicine faculty members who provide care within the School’s Care Center for Persons with Disabilities and four dental students, led the program.

The first day featured lectures discussing oral health across the lifespan, disease management, caries prevention, health equity, and patient/caregiver communication. Day two opened with morning lectures on informed consent and aging and health equity and was followed by hands-on training in small-group stations. The stations included, medical immobilization and stabilization, the utilization of mouth props and isolation techniques to permit access, wheelchair dentistry and patient transfer methods, and minimally invasive dentistry (Atraumatic Restorative Therapy, Silver Diamine Fluoride application, and fluoride varnish application). The participating Penn Dental Medicine students – Mary Grace Sullivan (D’26), Dylan Maskell (D’26), Cheyenne Alleyne-Young D’26), and Ilana Sacks (D’27) — assisted in presenting the hands-on portion .

“I felt honored to be a part of this opportunity,” says Sullivan. “The participants were eager to learn, and many shared with me that there is a need for more hands-on training and resources to provide equitable care for individuals with disabilities. I hope this program helps transform the way dentists provide accommodations, empowering them to deliver compassionate, inclusive dental care “

“Strengthening the dental workforce with practical approaches like this can improve oral health and overall well-being for one of the most underserved patient populations,” adds Dean Wolff. “We hope this program helps improve access to high-quality oral healthcare.”