D
ental
journa
L
Summer 2015
N ew M e x i c o
The Official Publication of the New Mexico Dental Association
UPDATE ON
NEXT PROOF
Inside This
Issue
A Proud Tradition
of Dental Education
in New Mexico
7
Silver Nitrate
12
Expanded Function
Dental Auxiliary
22
New Mexico
Dental Support
Center
30
Committee on
New Dentists
33
Who are CDHCs
...
and how can you use them in your office?
By Tammy Whitney, RDH
Establishing the Central New Mexico Community
College (CNM) Community Dental Health Coordi-
nator (CDHC) program has been a challenging but
rewarding endeavor. In 2013 New Mexico became
the first state to license CDHC from the pilot
program, two years after the legislature approved
the creation of this health care workforce model.
After the American Dental Association’s CDHC
pilot training program ended in 2012, CNM under-
took the development of the first post-pilot project
in the nation. We received approval to start our
program at the end of April 2014 and launched our
program in August 2014.
The goal of the CDHC is to empower individ-
uals, communities and dental healthcare systems
to reach optimal levels of wellness. CDHC’s are
trained to serve as oral health advocates, facilita-
tors, motivators, and culture brokers.
The CDHC
Similar to a Community Health Worker (CHW),
the CDHC uses their skill set to help promote oral
health in under-served communities. Working
under the direction of a dentist and in partner-
ship with a community clinic/private dental office,
CDHC’s will provide oral health education, preven-
tion intervention and help patients navigate an
often complex public health system to receive oral
health care. As members of the communities they
serve, the CDHC’s work and build trust at the grass-
roots level, helping diverse populations overcome
barriers that prevent access to dental health services.
The Program
CNM’s CDHC program is a coordinated entry
program. Students are required to be a Certified
Dental Assistant or Registered Dental Hygienist
in order to apply to our program. Additionally,
prerequisite courses include English 1101 college
writing, Math 1 proficiency, Reading 2 profi-
ciency, and Health 1001.
We have seven students in our first class. They have
been very busy learning about periodontal disease,
caries, oral cancer, tobacco cessation, oral hygiene
instructions, cultural communication, advocacy
and community outreach, the finances of dentistry,
legal and ethical issues. Our courses are a hybrid of
online and laboratory classes. Additionally, we were
fortunate to have Dr. Shelly Fritz address the class
on geriatric dentistry, and to have Dr. Jesus Galvan
speak on abuse and neglect. With our term nearly
completed, the students are eager to get started on
community outreach projects and internships in
their clinical sites.
We would like to thank The American Dental Association,
New Mexico Dental Association, our clinical sites, preceptors,
as well as Dr. Fritz and Dr. Galvan for all of their help.
Tammy Whitney CDA, RDH, MS started her dental career as an oral surgical
assistant in 1990. After working as a dental assistant for a general dentist and
a periodontist, she graduated from dental hygiene school. From there she worked
in Zurich Switzerland. In 2006, Tammy earned her master’s degree and has been
teaching dental assisting at Central New Mexico Community College since 2006.
Tammy and Melanie Upshaw have launched the first Community Dental Health
Coordinator Program since the ADA pilot ended in 2012.
For more on the program, please contact
Department of Health Wellness and Public
Safety 505-224-4111 or visit CNM.edu.
