Oral Health Advocacy for the LGBT + Community
Oral Health Advocacy for the LGBT + Community
Oral Health Advocacy for the LGBT + Community Heading link
On June 8 2021, UIC College of Dentistry announced Pride Alliance’s most recent award of a $4,000 grant from the Chicago Dental Society Foundation Community Service Grants program. In addition, Pride Alliance announced through its social media platforms a future community-based outreach program that it will launch during the summer.
“Pride Alliance plans to implement a community-based outreach program during the summer entitled “Oral Health Advocacy for the LGBT+ Community.”
The community-based outreach program was developed by Brian Currie and Faraj Mahchi, (current D3s and Co-Presidents of UIC College of Dentistry’s Pride Alliance) with the help and guidance of Khatija Noorullah, Visiting Teaching Associate in the Division of Prevention and Public Health Sciences. Oral Health Advocacy for the LGBT+ Community will consist of a two-day event over two weekends in July and or August (final date to be determined). College of Dentistry volunteers will provide oral health information specific to the LGBT+ community (youth, homeless, or at-risk LGBT+ community members), which includes information regarding common oral health problems, care for the oral cavity, and essential information on well-being. Brian Currie shared, “At these events, we plan on having food, games, and open dialogue sessions for all to join and feel welcome. We will also be distributing oral hygiene kits and educational information pamphlets.”
Oral Health Advocacy for the LGBT+ Community not only will work to create an inclusive environment for all, but has set goals to:
- Increase oral health literacy
- Enhance the understanding of oral health and its connection to overall health
- Distribute resources to improve access to inclusive oral healthcare
As Brian Currie noted, “The program seeks to increase oral health literacy by providing activities where individuals can learn proper techniques on how to brush and floss, how often to replace a toothbrush, why it’s important to visit a dentist regularly, and what kind of signs and symptoms to look out for when immediate care is needed, among other important goals.” Brian followed by stating the importance of enhancing the understanding of oral health and its connection to overall health: “… we seek to inform individuals about smoking effects on their general health and oral health. Additionally, we want to emphasize nutritional counseling on the importance of having a balanced diet for proper nutrient intake and how deficiencies can manifest in the oral cavity, and explain the impact of HPV on the development of oropharyngeal cancer.” As the goals include providing essential information on well-being, the initiative also focuses on providing necessary resources for the community. “We wish to provide resource distribution for individuals to obtain access to inclusive care from dentists and oral health facilities in the Chicagoland area that are LGBT friendly in order to establish a dental home for those currently lacking one,” Brian stated.
Additional information will be provided soon regarding Oral Health Advocacy for the LGBT+ Community. Readers are encouraged to follow the UIC College of Dentistry’s social media pages for the latest updates and more.
As Brian Currie enthusiastically noted, “We are so excited to get out in the community to improve oral health and wellness in an inclusive and welcoming environment for all.”