Public Health Issue - Harvard School of Dental Medicine

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Studying Oral Health Care in HaitiBy Rishi Popat, PD09, General Dentistry (DMSc 2014, Orthodontics, Leadership Track)When a 7.3 magnitude earthquake destroyedHaiti’s infrastructure on January 12, 2010, itfurther devastated Haiti’s already minimaloral health delivery system. A majority ofthese oral health clinics and providers were located in thecapital of Port-au-Prince; oral health clinics and oral healthprofessionals in rural areas of Haiti were nearly nonexistent.Given Haiti’s urgent need for greater access to oral health care,especially in rural areas, the development of a sustainableacademic oral health clinic would be a critical and welcomeadvance for this underserved population.Previous attempts by US organizations at buildingoral health clinics in developing nations through privateand public enterprises have generally not grown out of solidconceptual frameworks and detailed analyses. HSDM is takinga different approach. Under principal investigator ElsbethKalenderian, chair and associate professor of oral health policyand epidemiology, HSDM is undertaking a study that willformulate the first comprehensive strategic plan to successfullydevelop, operate, and sustain an academic oral health clinicin rural Haiti. The overarching hypothesis of the study,which is my doctoral research, is that an evidence-based andlocally tailored academic oral health clinic can be successfullydeveloped, operated, and sustained in rural Haiti throughan innovative collaboration among HSDM, the nonprofitorganization Partners In Health—which has deep roots inHaiti—and experts from the local Haitian community.The initiative will ultimately combine local knowledgeand workforce with expertise from HSDM and PartnersIn Health to create a culturally competent and relevantenvironment. HSDM predoctoral (DMD) students,advanced graduate specialty residents, postdoctoralfellows, and multidisciplinary faculty, as well as facultyfrom the Harvard School of Public Health and HarvardMedical School, will participate in the project.The study has the following goals:1. Assess the current oral health status, physicalinfrastructure, available tangible and intangibleresources, and cultural norms and values present inHaiti in order to understand potential opportunitiesto develop a successful, operational, and sustainableacademic oral health clinic in rural Haiti.Rishi PopatDr. Rose Dina Premier, oral and dental health coordinatorat Partners In Health/Zanmi Lasante in Haiti, shows off herHSDM mug, given to her by HSDM orthodontics resident RishiPopat, PD09 (DMSc 2014), who is conducting postdoctoralresearch in collaboration with Partners In Health as afoundation for developing a sustainable oral health clinic inrural Haiti.10 winter 2012–13 • harvard dental bulletin
public health focusRishi Popat (DMSc 2014, orthodontics),center, poses in Haiti with Drs. RoseDina Premier and Samuel E. Prophete.2. Identify best-practice models by gathering qualitativeand quantitative data through the use of semistructuredinterviews, physical and virtual focus groups, and theliterature on existing oral health clinics.3. Develop evidence-based and practical recommendationsby means of a comprehensive strategic plan based on theinformation gathered from the baseline in goal 1 andunderstanding of the various practice models availablefrom goal 2. This plan will consist of a vision statement,workforce model, market research, and a strengths,weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis.The results of this study will provide the foundation fora comprehensive strategic plan to implement the developmentof a novel, sustainable academic oral health clinic in ruralHaiti. HSDM expects that this work will have profoundimplications in strategically improving globaloral health and will be recognized as aninnovative business model in the systematicplanning of an academic oral health clinic indeveloping countries. In the absence of such aventure in Haiti, oral health status, associatedsystemic illnesses, quality of care, economicproductivity, and social well-being will continueto deteriorate in a country that has alreadyseen more than its share of poverty and naturaldisaster. HSDM intends to collaborate with likemindedpartners to work toward a stronger andhealthier future for Haiti. •HSDM is conducting a study thatwill formulate the first comprehensivestrategic plan to successfully develop,operate, and sustain an academicoral health clinic in rural Haiti.Courtesy photographDr. Samuel E. Prophete, dean of the Facultéd’Odontologie Université d’État d’Haïti, reflects onthe research collaboration with HSDM toward asustainable academic oral health clinic in Haiti.Rishi Popatharvard dental bulletin • winter 2012–1311
Page 1 and 2: harvarddentalbulletinPublic Health
Page 3 and 4: From the DeanAs we reflect on the a
Page 5 and 6: alumni focusof Dental Medicine, dur
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Page 9 and 10: public health focusInspiring Future
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Page 31 and 32: Back cover: Risha M. De Leon, senio

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