Werner C W, Gragg P P, Geurink K M
Faculdade de Odontologia de Lins, Universidade Metodista de Piracicaba, Lins, SP, Brasil.
Braz Dent J. 2000;11(2):127-33.
The main goal of the University of Texas Health Science Center (UTHSCSA) dental van programs is to provide training in delivering care to diverse segments of the population. The UTHSCSA is the Academic Health Center for all of South Texas, a region with 25% of the State's population and 60% Hispanic. About 60% of the region's counties are federally designated dental health personnel shortage areas. Interdepartmental efforts with the participation of dental hygiene, community dentistry, oral diagnosis, periodontics and general practice carried out two programs during the 1994-95 academic year. At the Saint Philip of Jesus Clinic, a charity clinic, and at the Willows Development Center for Severely and Profoundly Mentally Retarded, the dental van was used to provide preventive and restorative care. A questionnaire to measure the value of the programs indicated that students perceived them as important educational activities which increased their confidence in treating persons in the community, especially persons with disabilities. Program output was quantitatively assessed. An average of 8 preventive procedures, 7 fillings, 2 sealants and 1 extraction or referral were provided each working day. Eighty patients were seen at the Saint Philip Clinic (2.5 visits per patient) and 130 patients were seen at the Willows Development Center. Overall, 80 students and 6 faculty participated in providing screening, treatment and referral services. Dental van programs promote access to dental care and increase the visibility of dental schools within the university and community. Current tendencies to halt new program initiatives and phase out existing programs due to shifting financial priorities should be carefully considered in view of the 1995 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report on the future of dental education.
德克萨斯大学健康科学中心（UTHSCSA）牙科流动诊疗车项目的主要目标是提供针对不同人群的医疗服务培训。UTHSCSA是整个南德克萨斯州的学术健康中心，该地区人口占该州的25%，其中60%为西班牙裔。该地区约60%的县被联邦政府指定为牙科保健人员短缺地区。在1994 - 1995学年，牙科保健、社区牙科、口腔诊断、牙周病学和全科医学等部门共同努力开展了两个项目。在慈善诊所圣菲利普耶稣诊所和重度及极重度智力障碍者柳树发展中心，牙科流动诊疗车用于提供预防和修复性护理。一份衡量项目价值的调查问卷显示，学生们认为这些项目是重要的教育活动，增强了他们为社区人群，尤其是残疾人提供治疗的信心。对项目产出进行了定量评估。每个工作日平均提供8项预防措施、7次补牙、2次窝沟封闭以及1次拔牙或转诊。圣菲利普诊所接待了80名患者（每位患者就诊2.5次），柳树发展中心接待了130名患者。总体而言，80名学生和6名教师参与了筛查、治疗和转诊服务。牙科流动诊疗车项目促进了牙科护理的可及性，并提高了牙科学院在大学和社区内的知名度。鉴于1995年医学研究所（IOM）关于牙科教育未来的报告，当前因财政优先事项转移而暂停新项目倡议并逐步淘汰现有项目的趋势应予以谨慎考虑。
