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SUMMARY: In this episode of The Fulcrum Podcast, Paul Logan interviews Dr. Emily Bowen, Program Director of Mountain Empire Community College's Dental Programs. Dr. Bowen discusses the challenges and advancements in dental education and workforce development in rural Virginia. She highlights the success of Mountain Empire’s Dental Assistant and Dental Assistant II Expanded Functions (DA II) programs and their impact on the local community. Dr. Bowen also explains the role of DA IIs in enhancing dental practices and improving patient care. She emphasizes the importance of community support, faculty involvement, and innovative educational models in addressing the dental workforce needs in Virginia.

HOST:

Paul Logan of the Virginia Dental Association. Paul focuses on member advocacy, developing resources for dental students and early career dentists, and working with a broad array of stakeholders to elevate and address Virginia’s dental workforce needs. Paul currently serves on the executive committee of the Coalition for Modernizing Dental Licensure and the College Board of J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College. Outside of work, he’s trying to keep up with his three- and six-year-old daughters.

GUEST:

Emily Kate Bowen, DDS, MA, MPH

Dr. Bowen graduated from Virginia Tech with a bachelor’s degree in biology. She received her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Dentistry, a Master of Arts from Michigan State University in Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education (HALE), and a Master of Public Health with emphasis on policy and leadership from East Tennessee State University. She currently serves as the Dental Programs Director for Mountain Empire Community College in the Division of Health Sciences.

As a Virginia native, Emily is focused on improving access to care through strengthening the allied health workforce across the Commonwealth. She is a graduate of the Appalachian Regional Commission’s (ARC) Leadership Institute, while also serving on multiple public health-related projects, including the Virginia Dental Association’s Workforce Committee, the University of Virginia’s Cancer Center SWVA Community Advisory Board, and Health Catalyst’s Future of Public Oral Health Taskforce.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekb-dds/

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Understanding Emergency Room Visits for Nontraumatic Oral Health Conditions in a Hospital Serving Rural Appalachia: Dental Informatics Study: https://formative.jmir.org/2022/12/e31433

Dental Assistant II (DA II) Expanded Function Program - https://www.mecc.edu/dental-assistant-ii-expanded-function-gcc

Mountain Empire Community College: https://www.mecc.edu/

Dr. Emily Bowen

[email protected]

Germanna Community College: https://germanna.edu/

Misty Mesimer

[email protected]

EPISODE CREDITS

Producer/Host:

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The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only, and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional, medical, or legal advice.

Music in this episode from Epidemic Sound