Category: Blog

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.

When I first heard the term global oral health, I started thinking about the parts that make up this term in the mindset of how we as a society are lacking health care services. Through my time here in DeRouen Center and my other volunteer services in the area, I’ve come to a realization that “global” starts from right where I am.

As one of the cities with the highest immigrant and homelessness population, Seattle is greatly suffering from a lack of health care services for these individuals that are need. I am grateful for DeRouen Center for allowing me to discover that my immediate neighborhood is part of the globe and there is just as much help is needed as there is in the other side of the globe. As one of the local efforts, the Seattle Refugee project at the center aims to connect the settling refugee population with permanent dental home for continuous services.

By volunteering at the Union Gospel Mission, a dental clinic in downtown Seattle, I’ve encountered with many that cannot afford basic care. This clinic, operated by volunteering dentists and student assists, provides care at little to no cost to hundreds every month. Even by working at my current employment, a local dental clinic, I’ve continued to see this dilemma. Furthermore, we see many patients that cannot visit different offices due to a language barrier. With this changing population and patient pool, we need diverse care providers to meet their specific needs.

I’ve also been volunteering at the Seattle/King County Clinic, an annual, free, volunteer-driven clinic event that serves over four thousand vulnerable and underserved patients every year. I have participated in this event for the past two years, both as a dental component assistant and translator for Mongolian and Korean languages. During this event, I have encountered numerous people who are new immigrants, homeless, or unemployed and in need of care.

I believe that global oral health is a necessity for our direct neighbors and the community that we live in. I would like to contribute for the efforts in reducing these health disparities in the region, and I am very grateful to be a part of this effort as a member of the DeRouen Center for Global Oral Health.

You can start by helping right now too. Show your interest, volunteer your time, or donate to the great cause to our center or other organizations that share the common value as you do. Thank you and please follow us for more news and blog posts for the future.

About Me

Hello, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Kathleen L. Wright and I’m a first-year student in the Health Services MPH program, on the Maternal and Child Health track. I joined the Timothy A. DeRouen Center for Global Oral Health team after responding to a posting for a practicum position but being a part of this global project has become so much more to me than just a degree requirement.

I am the only child of two retired Department of Defense civilian contractors, one of whom served in the Army. I was born and raised in southern Illinois, but due to my parents’ careers and my own natural curiosity, I have always had the urge to travel. I was also passionate about current events, health, and human rights from a young age. I remember trying to get my bewildered 7^th grade classmates to care about the genocide in Darfur and feeling like a total outsider when no one else understood how much it mattered. After graduating high school, I moved to Manhattan and started school at New York University. At that point I wanted to be a doctor, specifically a pediatrician, so I was on the pre-med track.

Changing Paths

Students on the pre-med track have to satisfy a social sciences requirement, I chose sociology, as well as a public health course. By the end of my freshman year at NYU, it felt like my mind had exploded. I had never thought about society or humans that way—I had never thought that way at all. A new worldview was blossoming inside my head. I was hooked. Here I was, 18 years old, in one of the best cities in the world, seeing everything with new eyes. Just writing this, reminiscing on that nascent transformation, makes me smile.

I thought that my combined passion for justice and health meant that I should become a doctor. Going into public health had never occurred to me, but from that point forward, I could not imagine doing anything else. My sophomore year, I went to my advisor and told her that I had decided on my major: Global Public Health with a concentration in Sociology.

Going Global

Learning about public health meant that I learned about the injustices happening in the States and around the world, but I wasn’t a frustrated 7^th grader anymore. I became an activist. I believe that good public health is, at its core, activism—fighting for the vulnerable, combining people power and dedication with education and research.

I spent my junior year abroad, doing one semester in Prague and one in Sydney. I had always wanted to travel outside of the US, but I had never had the opportunity. It was at that point I realized I don’t want to travel—I need to travel. I once heard some advice about how to choose a career: pick something that combines what you love to do, what you’re good at, and what the world needs. I graduated with honors from NYU in May 2017 and started classes at the University of Washington School of Public Health in September 2017.

Moving Forward

It feels great to be part of the DeRouen Center team and fulfilling to be working on a project that has the potential to improve the lives of children around the world for generations to come. I am encouraged by the progress we’ve made in the last few months, and I’m excited for all of the new experiences, connections, opportunities to help, and chances to learn that will come my way.

Where will this all take me? After I graduate, I hope to join the Peace Corps. And after that…I’m not sure yet. And I’m not too worried. I want to keep helping people and learning for the rest of my life; where or with whom is not what matters. Public health is my passion, and I will go where it leads me. Thanks for reading and have a great day.

Dating back as far as 11,000 years ago, Peru is home of some of the oldest civilizations in the world. Its people and culture are as diverse as its lands. Rising from the coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean to the peaks of the Andes Mountains, the country houses the source of the vast Amazon River. Much like the Andes’ divide the country in two, there is a clear divide in the “haves” and “have nots.”

With a Human Development Index ranking of 87, Peru is considered a developing nation. Approximately one quarter of the population lives at or below poverty level. Of that, roughly 90% of its society is covered by government-sponsored healthcare. However, due to many factors (i.e., geographical, socioeconomic, etc.) access to care is still limited, especially for those at highest risk.

Peru has roughly 30 million people, with nearly 60% of them living within metropolitan areas. The remaining population live in rural areas, including uncontacted indigenous tribes. Some of these communities have adapted, not with modern-day society, but with the land and its uses. One in particular is the community of Claverito, a community on the banks of the city Iquitos. It is a collective of houses that float in the Amazonian waters during the rainy season and rest in marsh during the dry season. While the tidewater may serve as the foundations for the homes, it is not without its dangers. Risk of contracture of infectious diseases is very high in Peru: hepatitis A, typhoid fever, malaria just to name a few. With all of the limitation to basic health care, the oral health is feared to be worse.

I recently had the opportunity to travel to Claverito with the UW Timothy A. DeRouen Center for Global Oral Health and visiting the Amazon River community. The purpose of this trip was to begin the baseline data collection for the InterACTION labs Oral Health, Population Health Initiative 2017. I worked alongside other dentists and dental students to conduct baseline information, including oral microbiome samples, conducted a quality of life survey (CPITN OHIP 14 – Spanish version), and dental caries assessment. For this, we conducted all parts of collection in the houses in the community. Families that participated, the surveys given to the head of the household, and all those consented were examined. Findings were recorded using the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. The data collected will be analyzed at the University of Washington by various teams and departments. The hopes are to plan future interventions based on the results of the data to have a great impact this community.

Personally, this was the opportunity of a lifetime. To use the skills I have learned throughout my dental education to help better those around this world has always been a dream of mine. Thanks to UW DeRouen Center, and the rest of the team, that was possible. This trip has open my eyes to a great world of dental research and the possibilities to make differences in the communities around me.

Kyle Kirk is a senior resident at the UW Department of Pediatric Dentistry

I have recently returned from six months studying abroad in Perth, Western Australia. While I was there, I had the opportunity of getting to know my family in Australia, as well as roommates from Denmark and Sweden. Living among and getting to know different people and cultures opened my eyes to new perspectives the world has to offer and solidified my interest in global health.

One night in Perth, gathered around the dinner table, my Swedish roommate, Hedda, spoke on paid parental leave while my Danish roommate, Line, nodded her head in agreement. “Paid parental leave? What’s that?” I asked. They went on to explain that parents receive fourteen months of paid parental leave upon the birth of their child that can be split among themselves as they please. I was shocked, amazed really. How could America not have something similar? The United States is a high-income country after all. Hedda asked what the United States’ paid parental leave is, “what, four months?” she chuckled at the, in her perspective, small number. I responded explaining that there is no regulated amount of time a parent is allowed paid parental leave. “I think my mom had two or three weeks,” I estimated. Then, we were all shocked.

This conversation has remained with me and has only made me more passionate about global health. I believe the United States should sustainably help low-income countries, as well as learn from peer countries such as Sweden, Denmark, and Australia etc. This idea was brought to my attention in a workshop lead by Stephen Bezruchka, a professor here at the University of Washington. Professor Bezruchka teaches that the United States has focused on comparing its health to past statistics over the years, instead of comparing the country to peer countries in order to identify areas needing improvement. The United States has plenty to learn from other countries, and through global health work and understanding, the United States will also benefit. This is something not many people understand, I certainly did not until my education in the Public Health major.

Having the opportunity to intern at the Timothy A. DeRouen Center this year has taught me valuable skills and exposed me to projects all around the world, from Peru to Thailand. As the Center’s strategic planning intern, I have knowledge around all of our projects and set up timelines to see them through. Interacting with faculty abroad to complete a grant application has shown me the collaboration global health work takes in the real world. I love global health because of the differing perspectives and situations of each country and I love that the DeRouen Center focuses on sustainability throughout the projects we work on. I am thankful to be a part of an inclusive and dedicated group such as the UW DeRouen Center.

Marina Martinez is an undergraduate student at the University of Washington studying Public Health.