Introduction

Dental students (like yourself) — even those who may be interested in serving vulnerable populations — often graduate with little "how to" knowledge needed to effectively shape their careers with consideration of the needs the underserved, especially young children.

In this module you will have the opportunity to:

  1. Explore the full spectrum of dental careers available to you including careers in community health centers, dental academics, oral health advocacy, dental public health, and innovative private practice settings
  2. Consider your responsibility and role, as future dental professionals, in addressing the oral health disparities that exist for vulnerable underserved populations
  3. Apply this knowledge to your future career decisions

Let’s first start by learning a little about the young child population in the United States.