February 2007

HUMANITARIAN OUTREACH PROGRAM

The Humanitarian Outreach Program has been an ongoing project of the ICD USA Section for several years. The goal of this program is to establish Dental Public Health training programs in Southeast Asia. Recent correspondence from Dr. Martin Hobdell, director of the program and Visiting Professor of the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at the University of London, reports that in:

• Cambodia: The eight students accepted in Cambodia this year are of a very high caliber. Previous graduates of this course of training now occupy more senior positions in the Ministry of Health, the Dental Faculty and the Public Dental Services, where the training is put to good use in improving the education of students and in managing the scarce resources for oral health effectively and efficiently in the country.
  
  
• Laos: Dr. Hobdell is working with the Medical Faculty Vice-Dean for Postgraduate Studies to establish a Master's Degree course in Dental Public Health. This will be the first postgraduate course in the Dental School. It is hoped that the program can begin in September of 2007.
  
  
• Vietnam: In Vietnam, a third course started in January, 2007. Graduates of previous courses may now act as tutors under the guidance of visiting faculty members, and hopefully will become lecturers and take over the teaching program in the future.

ICD fellows should be proud of their support of this successful program which has the potential of raising the oral health standards of millions of people.

CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAM - ATLANTA

Keep your eyes open for the registration brochure for this summer's Continuing Education Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. As always, there is no tuition for ICD fellows. The meeting will commence at 6 p.m., on Wednesday, July 18 with registration and a reception. The CEC lectures will be given on the mornings of July 19 and 20. Optional activities, as well as a post trip to Savannah ending the morning of Wednesday, July 25, will also be available for CEC participants and guests.

CANDIDATE INFORMATION FORMS

Don't forget that the ICD Fellowship process is a long one. The 2007 class is filling fast as San Francisco is a very popular venue. It's important to encourage candidates to complete a CIF and submit it to their deputy regent if they hope to be included this year.

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