An interview with Jacqueline Shanks, Clinical Assistant Professor & Family Nurse Practitioner, UIC College of Nursing
An interview with Jacqueline Shanks, Clinical Assistant Professor & Family Nurse Practitioner, UIC College of Nursing Heading link
Healthy dental practices and care begin at a young age, and the individuals who work in the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at the College of Dentistry are dedicated to making oral health accessible to the community. Jacqueline Shanks, Clinical Assistant Professor in the UIC College of Nursing and Family Nurse Practitioner in the Department of Pediatric Dentistry helps prepare the children for dental care under general anesthesia (GA) by doing history and physical exams to ensure they are healthy to receive GA. She has been at the College for six months and demonstrates exemplary care and dedication to her community and work as a nurse practitioner.
What do you do in your role in the Department of Pediatric Dentistry?
J: I work as a Family Nurse Practitioner at UIC College of Dentistry/Nursing partnership, completing pediatric preoperative assessments. I also work as a Clinical Assistant Professor with a clinical scholarship focused on implementing developmental delay and autism screenings, and risk factor screening for social determinants of health in the pediatric population. I have worked to implement developmental delay and autism screenings into primary care and specialty settings within the Chicago area to improve identification, evaluation, and treatment of children with developmental delay and autism.
What made you want to work in Pediatric Dentistry?
J: I am passionate about interdisciplinary education and professional collaboration. This is a wonderful opportunity to bridge the gap between two health profession colleges and introduce students to working with other disciplines. This collaboration has led to better outcomes for the patients seen at the College of Dentistry including reduced waiting lists for surgery and less stress on parents.
Dr. Jacqueline Shanks Interview Heading link
How does your job meet your career goals and aspirations?
J: The UIC Pediatric Dentistry Outpatient Care Center sees a high volume of patients, with previously more than 1,000 patients on the waiting list. This is because the center offers the rare combination of providing general anesthesia and accepting Medicaid patients, making it in-demand for children with severe dental needs.
I chose to teach and work at UIC because of their commitment to equity, inclusivity and diversity of their faculty, staff and student body. UIC and UI Health also serve a diverse community with complex needs. My goal as a teacher is to empower future nurses to solve problems through research, to educate those who will make a difference in healthcare, and to provide the highest quality of care—especially to the most vulnerable populations.
Dr. Jacqueline Shanks Interview Heading link
What is the importance of having your type of position in the Pediatric Department?
J: Collaboration between different healthcare disciplines can lead to innovative solutions that benefit patients. This partnership between the College of Nursing and College of Dentistry has led to better care of the pediatric population within the state of Illinois, especially those who are on Medicaid.