Interprofessional Education (IPE) at UNMC involves students and educators from all health care disciplines, across departments, colleges and campuses. They discover how to work as an integrated health care team, sharing expertise in a collaborative learning environment, to achieve the best possible health care outcomes for patients. More.
Education
- UNMC IPE Days - Dental and dental hygiene students participate in UNMC-wide Fall and Spring IPE events. College of Dentistry faculty facilitate discussions.
- Medical Emergency Simulations at UNMC College of Nursing - Dental students complete hands-on medical emergency simulations at the College of Nursing's clinical simulation lab in Lincoln. Students use high-fidelity simulators to practice what they will do if their patient has a medical emergency.
Practice
- Caring for Champions Dental Clinic - Pediatric dentistry residents and faculty collaborate with the UNMC Munroe Meyer Institute’s interdisciplinary team at the Caring for Champions Dental Clinic. They serve is individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
- Teledentistry in Schools - Pediatric dentistry residents and faculty utilize telehealth to serve as a resource for health professionals within Omaha Public Schools and Lincoln Public Schools. Telehealth consultations help minimize emergency room visits and provide an opportunity to bring oral health training to school-based health providers.
- SHARING Clinics - The college participates in the UNMC-wide SHARING Clinic program. The program's purpose is to provide free health care to the underserved in Nebraska. The SHARING system engages all UNMC health professions students and many UNMC faculty.
Outreach
- UNMC Event Collaborations - The College of Dentistry collaborates with other UNMC colleges to provide health screenings and education to underserved populations. UNMC events have included the Power of Prevention Minority Health Month Screening Fair, Special Olympics MedFest, and UNMC Bridge to Care Refugee Health Fair.
- Community Event Collaborations - The college provides oral health screenings at community events alongside multiple health disciplines. Events have included Head and Neck Cancer Alliance Screenings, Lincoln Public Schools Screenings, and Project Homeless Connect.
- Patient Care at Clinic with a Heart - Dental and dental hygiene students provide patient care to the underserved at Clinic with a Heart, a free clinic in Lincoln. Students volunteer 800+ hours each year providing dental care, and work with volunteers from other health disciplines to help patients get the care they need.
- Early Dental Health Starter Kits Educational Program - The college educates caregivers on the importance of oral hygiene in children through distributing oral hygiene items and education. Project partners are the Nebraska DHHS Office of Oral Health and Dentistry and the Nebraska Community Foundation, and key distribution partners are the Nebraska Hospital Association and Children’s Hospital and Medical Center. Working with these interprofessional partners has increased the program’s effectiveness.
Collaborating with the UNMC College of Nursing
The College of Dentistry and the UNMC College of Nursing in Lincoln have embarked on a hands-on approach to IPE. Nursing students participate in the College of Dentistry's Children’s Dental Day, providing wellness checks to underserved children from across Nebraska. Nursing students also participate in the College of Dentistry's SHARING Clinic by taking vitals of incoming patients.