Category: Blog

The first step in my Fogarty journey was a one-week long orientation at the NIH Headquarters in Bethesda, MD. The first two days of orientation involved going through an intensive Methodology workshop, and trainees can choose between quantitative or qualitative methodology approaches, dependent on the nature of their project. In these workshops, you get a crash course in data collection, management, and analysis that is pertinent to global health research.  Every morning of orientation, there were breakfast networking sessions with directors of different NIH centers. I was one of the two people involved in the field of dentistry, and the first dental student to have ever received the award, which gave me the opportunity to have casual conversation with the director of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), Martha J. Somerman, DDS, PhD. It was a rare opportunity to have a one-on-one conversation over breakfast with the director, an opportunity I know many dental researchers will never have. Further, this Fogarty orientation period provided us with more opportunities to interact with some other greats: Anthony Fauci, the immunologist and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease who made significant contributions to HIV/AIDS research and advocacy and is now leading the nation in the battle against COVID-19; Francis Collins, the director of the NIH who also led the Human Genome Project; and Roger Glass, the director of the John E. Fogarty International Center.

The beauty of the Fogarty Fellowship is how dynamic the fellowship is, and how different everyone’s experience is. The nature of public health research, especially Global Health, is that there is an ebb and flow of the workload while you wait for approvals or face unique barriers in implementing your study. Fogarty fellows and scholars are diverse- but, the beauty of the Fogarty Fellowship is that it can be tailored to the stage you’re at in your education. For example, several participants are still students in professional or grad schools, while others have recently graduated from their doctoral program. I was able to join an ongoing study in Nairobi (already with IRB approval), which I feel is most appropriate for my level of research experience. However, others, usually early career researchers, are implementing their protocols with no foundation to build from.

Over the past year I have grown as a researcher, having been able to dedicate most of my time to reading scientific literature, career development, writing, and discovering new funding opportunities.  My consortium, NPGH, conducted weekly video calls that are aimed at professional development. The topics of these calls range from tips on getting through the IRB approval process, manuscript writing, fostering a positive mentorship experience, etc. We are also given the opportunity to practice presentations about our work followed by constructive feedback from our peers. Each consortium provides different experiences and learning tools for the fellows and scholars. Thanks to my mentor Dr. Kemoli, I sat in on some classes and seminars at the University of Nairobi School of Dental Sciences, and spent some time with fellow dental students to understand more of what their experience is like being a dental student in Kenya.

While living in Nairobi, I joined a local cycling group on the weekends for different bike tours around Nairobi and the surrounding areas as a way to meet friends and see the country on two wheels. Nairobi was a great city to meet new people and had so many things to do- from hiking Ngong Hills to visiting a local art gallery. I was also lucky to have the support and encouragement from my mentors to take time to travel around Kenya, East Africa, and wherever else on the continent. My mentors stressed the importance of traveling during your Fogarty year- it gives you room to grow as a global citizen, to be more immersed in local culture, and to network and make connections. I was able to travel with other Fogarty trainees this year throughout Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa, etc. and had several other trips planned in the region before the pandemic hit. While in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I was able to visit the only other dentist in the Fogarty program, Dr. Kasusu Nyamuryekung’e at the Muhimbili University of Allied and Health Sciences School of Dentistry.

 

 

 

Justin is a third-year dental student at the University of Washington. He graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in Physiology and Developmental Biology and is passionate about the health-care field. Justin lived in São Paulo, Brazil for two years as a volunteer through church and loves to learn about cultures and people around the world. He enjoys playing and spending time with his daughters and watching sports with his wife.

Hi, my name is Justin. I’m currently a third-year dental student at the University of Washington and have been enjoying my experience so far at the DeRouen Center for Oral Global Health.

My journey in becoming a future oral health care provider has been an interesting process to say the least. I distinctly remember the day my mom brought a library book to our home (I am not sure how old I was, but I was probably in elementary school). It was a photographic book about the careers of cardiothoracic surgeons. At that moment, I knew that I was destined to become a medical doctor.

Fast forward to my junior year of my undergraduate career. The many years of sweat and tears had paid off so far. I just needed to take the MCAT and send out my application. I happened to have the invaluable experience of working as a medical scribe at an emergency department. There, amid the chaos of first responders running through the ambulance bay and the constant beeping of monitors recording vital signs, the physicians were collected and totally in control. It seemed as if there was nothing that they couldn’t do; from trauma to infectious disease to neurological disorders, they completely embodied the concept of “jack of all trades.” Yet there was one population that always seemed to be beyond their reach: patients with dental pain, especially those lacking access to regular care. I remember these patients in excruciating pain entering the emergency department well past midnight, only to leave again after being handed a paper with a list of local dentists and a prescription for antibiotics.

I couldn’t help but think about those patients long after my shifts were over. I would wonder if they ever received the treatment they desperately needed. Somehow, these patients reminded me of the people I met when I lived in São Paulo, Brazil for two years as a volunteer for my church. I remember that certain people, especially those in poorer areas, were especially susceptible to lack of access to adequate dental care. I remember that these people often had difficulty in many aspects of their life due to poor oral health, including difficulty eating and speaking, suffering through severe pain, and being self-conscious of their dentition. That’s when it struck me that oral health disparities weren’t just a problem in my home country; rather, they span across the entire globe.

I love working with the DeRouen Center for Global Oral Health and look forward to doing my part to help address these very real and concerning problems in our society and around the world.

Meet Sara Stanley

Hi, I’m Sara Stanley and I’m the new program manager for the DeRouen Center for Global Oral Health.

Why I chose public health

I chose to go into public health because it is an interesting and ever-evolving field. As the current COVID-19 pandemic shows, once basic public health breaks down, people cannot work, take care of their families, or interact with their communities in a normal way. Public health is the pulse of our society – without basic metrics of public health people are not able to pursue their daily lives.

I have worked in different aspects of public health and research over the duration of my career, including community physical activity, organ donation programs and low SES population access, behind the scenes managing grants and contracts, and now in global oral health. Every area has been interesting and full of surprises – working with new and interesting people and learning about new areas of national and global health.

Joining the DeRouen Center

I’m excited to join the DeRouen Center and be working in the oral health field. There is so much to do, as many people around the globe do not think about oral health as part of standard public health. But it is. As anyone who has ever had an urgent dental issue knows – it cannot be ignored. And the way oral health manifests in disease populations such as HIV has many parts of the world needing urgent oral health care in conjunction with their main disease treatments.

Hi, I’m Susan Lee and I’m fourth year dental student at UW.

Why I chose dentistry

My decision to pursue a career in dentistry started with a mission trip to the Hill Tribes in the mountains of Chiang Mai, Thailand. I spent a week in the Hill Tribes, making friends with children my own age. Despite the cultural and language barriers, I sensed the heartfelt appreciation of the tribespeople from their small gestures and genuine smiles – toothless smiles. Severely lacking oral healthcare amongst the tribe came as no surprise, a result of their financial inability to leave the mountains for adequate treatment and lack of preventative education. Many of the adults were missing teeth and children suffered from rampant caries at an early age. Witnessing firsthand the suffering caused by inadequate oral care, I wanted to drive change in a more enduring way, through working toward a career in dentistry.

Joining The DeRouen Center

I went back to the same Hill Tribes every year for seven years and I’ve always longed to return to the mountains in Thailand to implement oral healthcare for the tribespeople. Working with The DeRouen Center allowed me to advocate oral healthcare for not only the local communities near me in Seattle, but also globally for communities of different cultures experiencing healthcare barriers.

A Reflection from the Chair of the Board of Directors, Timothy A. DeRouen, PhD

As we celebrate the success of this first fundraising breakfast, it is perhaps timely to reflect on the progress made by the Center up to now.  When I retired a couple of years ago, I turned over a Center to Dr. Seminario that had its primary focus on South East Asia, through a Fogarty International Center training grant designed to enhance clinical research training for faculty in dental schools in Thailand.  That training grant has now run its course, and the faculty at Khon Kaen and Thammasat Universities in Thailand now have a planning grant from the Fogarty Center to apply for their own training grant and become a resource for other dental schools in South East Asia. If they are successful, it would be a desired outcome for our efforts, and we will celebrate with them.

Since Dr. Seminario has become Director, she has extended the reach of the Center to include active research collaborations in Peru and Kenya, as well as initiating research in Seattle on refugees.  This has been done in conjunction with existing research projects in Peru and Kenya by faculty in the UW Department of Global Health, and these collaborations show promise to attract significant new research funding.  At the same time, the interest in the oral health of refugees in Seattle and elsewhere in the State of Washington has drawn encouragement from administrators and politicians with responsibility for refugee health.

In moving in these new directions, the Center has attracted the interest of undergraduate students, dental students, graduate students in Public Health, as well as volunteers.  This has allowed the Center to undertake activities such as the very successful symposium a year ago and the fundraising breakfast this year.  This kind of progress has been phenomenal since there have been very limited resources to support these activities.  The fundraising breakfast will provide some resources for future activities, but the future of the Center will depend on more fundraising and success in grant applications.  Hopefully, these efforts will be successful, and the exciting potential of the Center demonstrated thus far will come true. I invite you to join me in looking for ways to help the Center find the resources to ensure its future success.

Hi, I’m Pooja Rajanbabu and I’m an undergraduate student majoring in Public Health and minoring in Global Health at the University of Washington (UW). For those who don’t know the term public health, it is the art and science of preventing diseases and prolonging life, usually through organized community efforts. The field of global health focuses on health issues that transcend national boundaries.

Growing up, I’ve always known that I wanted to work in the healthcare field, but I knew I didn’t want to go down the medical path and become a doctor. I wanted to find a career where I could improve people’s overall health through interventions and preventative methods. I wanted to pursue a career where I could help numerous people at once and on a much larger scale. At the time, I just never knew that this field was called public health.

Once I entered college, I delved deeper into the fields of public health and global health. I have always loved planning and organizing things, and when I took more public health courses, I noticed that the field involves a technique of planning I’ve never encountered before. It involved creative planning that pushed me to think outside the box. It was a method of planning that had a real impact on the world. The field involves one to think about effective yet inexpensive health interventions that are appropriate to different cultures and societies. This sort of thinking intrigued me, and I knew I wanted to learn more about it. I have always been interested in public health, because it is a broad field and it affects everyone’s’ lives since there are many factors that influence one’s health.

When I was searching for opportunities to get hands on-experience in global health, I came across the UW Timothy A. DeRouen Center for Global Oral Health. The organization promotes international collaborations with diverse countries across the world. It also highlights the importance of global oral health and how oral health is a crucial but overlooked aspect of one’s well-being. These were the type of qualities I was looking for in an internship, and I am fortunate enough to be a part of the DeRouen Center now. I am also looking forward to working on future projects and making a real impact on global oral health.

Hi, I’m Jennifer Liu and I’m entering my second year in the Epidemiology MPH program. For those who have not heard of epidemiology, you are not alone because five years ago, I too was unaware such a field existed. Although the term bears resemblance to “epidermis”, epidemiology does not involve studying skin. Rather, epidemiology consists of describing and understanding the patterns of health-related states and events in specified populations, with the ultimate goal of preventing disease.

All throughout high school, pursuing a medical degree was my goal. However, that goal was challenged when I took a statistics class junior year, and my interest in data analysis was sparked. I knew I wanted to explore this area later in college but also did not want to give up my long-time dream of entering the healthcare field. I was stumped trying to find something that integrated the two very different subject areas, but then I learned about epidemiology and public health. Up until my introduction to public health during freshmen year of college, I had always viewed health from a purely biological and individual standpoint, and I was not aware of the numerous other factors that are also at play in determining one’s health, such as the social, behavioral, and environmental conditions. Being so used to perceiving health from a downstream point of view, I was fascinated by the upstream population focus of public health in tackling the root of the cause of a disease or an illness in order to prevent it from occurring, rather than treating it after it has risen.

As I progressed through the public health courses, my interest and fascination in epidemiology’s role in public health grew. The initial spark that took hold during my first statistics class was reaffirmed after taking epidemiology classes as I discovered how using the right methods and tools, numbers and data can be used to tell a story, to solve a problem, and to recommend an action. They help piece together the puzzling aspects of health and help give voices to overlooked concerns.

Epidemiology, in its essence, is about promoting the health and well-being of all populations by synthesizing and analyzing data, keeping in mind the underlying inequities in our society that result in negative health consequences for some. It touches on a variety of sociocultural issues, thus highlighting the importance of a presence of diversity in epidemiologists and public health professionals. When looking for internships to further my practical experience in epidemiology, the Timothy A. DeRouen Center for Global Oral Health stood out to me with its celebration of diversity through the research projects, mission and values, and collaboration both locally in Seattle and globally in other countries. I am privileged to be a part of the DeRouen Center to help improve the quality of life of individuals around the world. Everyone deserves an equal playing field when it comes to making choices that lead to good health, regardless of their place of birth. I hope to play my part in making that a reality through my involvement with the Center.

Hello, my name is Yu-Hsuan (Emily) Chen and I’m a first-year Masters of Public Health student studying Health Informatics and Health Information Management. I joined the UW Timothy A. DeRouen Center for Global Oral Health team after applying through the School of Public Health website. Participating in the Children’s HIV Oral Manifestations Project (CHOMP) allows me to gain new experiences working with an international team and helping manage a database.

Path to Public Health

Before attending UW, as an undergrad, I didn’t have a set goal for my career. I knew I was interested in health and science, so I decided to major in Biology until I discovered Public Health. Through the coursework in Public Health, I learned about health disparities and how people may experience a greater burden of disease, violence, and injury due to their identity. Even for people with access to care, the nature of the system’s complexity and segmentation can influence patient health outcomes and satisfaction. Knowing that technology could be one of the many solutions to solve these current health-related challenges, I decided to pursue an MPH in Health Informatics and Health Information Management.

Going Global

Through the Public Health courses, I learned that public health is not just about the knowledge obtained in class, but really experiencing what is out there. I spent a summer in South Korea and two months traveling around Western Europe and Scandinavia. These experiences helped me see people in a multidimensional way, become more accepting of their cultures, and gain tolerance for uncertainty.

Future Goals

With my public health background and traveling experiences, I have a strong desire to work in a different county or join a global project — and the DeRouen Center team allows me to do so. I am excited about the progress of this research project and how the research will improve the lives of children in Kenya. After I graduate, I’m planning on either working in Seattle or Europe. No matter where I go, I’m determined to work in the healthcare field and continue to learn.

Glocal health…what is Glocal health? “Glocal” health is a combined word of global and local health. Why would anyone think to combine them? They are two different things, right?

As you read the title to this blog post, I hope you all had these same type of questions run through your head. “Glocal” health is a phrase that I have come to love and have experienced since completing my Masters of Public Health in 2014 at Drexel University School of Public Health. Two weeks later I was on a plane to live in Cambodia for the next two years! Peace Corps was a milestone and goal that I had since I was sixteen years old. During my service, I taught English at a local high school and created a working experimental lab for the science curriculum with the science teachers. I also participated in youth development camps called Camp Star, Camp Glow and Camp Build. Each camp was a three-day, two-night event where we organized speakers and activities for the youth, typically high school students, to learn about challenging topics, such as environmental and climate change awareness and women’s empowerment, that are not taught in Cambodian public schools.

As a Peace Corps volunteer, challenging your boundaries and comfort zone becomes an everyday event. However, I had a great support group of women teachers who gave me inspiration and support every single day. Not only were they all incredibly intelligent, they were role models for the students at the school, girls in particular. One of these women, Sileap, a retired math teacher, was my host mom. When I was placed at my Peace Corps site in Kompong Thom providence, in Kompong Thmar town of Cambodia, I realized I had been placed with a wonderful family, who was clearly led by a strong women, my host mom. They were incredible forgiving and patient with me as I initially fumbled through Khmer language and customs. As I got better over my service, I realized how vital these women were to the high school and the community.

As a public health professional, I always paid attention to the health systems within my community. In Cambodia, healthcare is severely lacking, especially for those who live outside of the two large cities of Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. Once my host mom got more comfortable with me and my Khmer improved, she asked me about my teeth. She wanted to know, “How much money is a tooth in the United States?” Honestly, I did not know what she meant. How much? Why would you ever purchase a tooth? Boy, was I ignorant about dental needs. I asked her more closely why she would want to know the price of a tooth. She told that when she goes to the dentist, she often has a tooth pulled. She has had to buy a few teeth because they have pulled teeth in front of her mouth and teeth that she needed in order to chew her food. It all made sense why she was curious about the price of teeth because that is a procedure that she was familiar with. Receiving an extraction was a normal dental procedure for her, which is why she rarely visited the dentist.

Since completing the Peace Corps and moving back home to the Pacific Northwest, my current position serves the underrepresented and underserved communities in and around Washington State. When I first started this position in 2017, I was curious what the dental needs were among these communities. What I discovered was the needs of many of these communities are often similar to the needs of the communities living in rural Cambodia. Not only were they afraid of being seen, they also didn’t want any tooth to be pulled.

This is a perfect example of “Glocal” oral health. Arbitrary country lines do not dictate whether diseases are present or not. High-income countries, such as the United States, still have the same issues that exist in lower-middle income countries, like Cambodia. As global oral health dentists or public health professionals, adopting a “glocal” mindset will not only help us tackle issues within our own country but also globally.

Chelsea Stone is a Program Coordinator at the Office of Educational Partnerships and Diversity (OEPD) at the UW School of Dentistry

When I was younger, I was convinced the most outgoing, confident, powerful, and assertive people made the best leaders. Those who were the first to break a silence or those who continuously shared their opinions seemed to rise to the top.  As I witness authority figures in my life lead others, I realize there is not one correct way to lead.  After joining the DeRouen team and diving into the realm of Global Health research, I expanded my definition of leadership, increased my knowledge of the characteristics of a leader, and was inspired to reflect on my personal leadership philosophy.

I strive to maintain a flexible definition of leadership, as my existing ideas are modified by new experiences. Reflecting on my history of leadership experiences, I have concluded the following ideas. I believe the best leaders lead through a philosophy rooted in servant leadership.  Sharing responsibility, power, and influence allows a true leader to encourage others to be the best versions of themselves instead of taking control and forcing others to follow.  A true leader does not focus on making themselves shine brighter than everyone else, but instead focuses on making as many individuals shine as bright as possible. A leader will hold the most influence when they focus their attention on improving each other’s lives instead of trying to solely improve their own.  True leaders meet others in times of struggle and walk with them through it.  Although I have recently came to these conclusions, I recognize my definition of leadership may be completely different than another person’s definition, and still differs from my definition of leadership years ago.

When I decided to pursue a leadership role in planning the DeRouen Center’s first Global Oral Health Symposium, a plethora of fears arose. How was I expected to devote the necessary time to thoroughly plan a research symposium, while juggling graduating from the University of Washington, working twenty hours per week, and maintaining my emotional and physical health as well? It was a daunting task, but soon I realized a key component of any true leader: task delegation.

I owe much of the symposium’s success to the Center’s recently appointed director, Dr. Ana Lucia Seminario.  As my mentor, Dr. Seminario quickly witnessed my learning style and encouraged me delegate tasks to other team members. I learned that every member of our team had valuable skills to contribute to the planning and execution phases of the symposium, but it was challenging for me to assign other team members tasks and pass on responsibility. Yet, a team does not win a race by having one member sprint the entire way, but by learning to pass the baton in the most efficient way possible. I gained an immense amount of respect and trust for my team members, as they took on tasks with full responsibility and effort.  The DeRouen Center’s first symposium was a true success for many reasons, but the execution of the symposium was impossible without the work and shared vision of every DeRouen team member.

As I reflect on this successful event and plan for the future, I am extremely excited to watch the DeRouen Center grow and expand. I wholeheartedly believe this organization will thrive if we keep our values of sustainability, advancement and innovation, compassion, and collaboration as priorities.  The best way to achieve our mission of improving quality of life by promoting collaboration and inclusivity in oral and craniofacial research is by leading with a philosophy of servant leadership.