Partners in Care
A new collaboration between the Colleges of Dentistry and Social Work is demonstrating how the goals of the two fields can overlap to benefit both patients and students.
Catherine Hechmer, the interprofessional practice and field coordinator for The Ohio State University College of Social Work, explains that social workers focus on addressing disparities in all areas of life for individuals and communities. “Health care access is one area where significant disparities exist, and within that, dental care, which affects overall health, is even harder to access because of fewer options for low-cost or free care for uninsured individuals,” she said. “So there is a natural connection for social workers to be engaged with the dental profession to try to lower barriers to care.”
The collaborative program focuses on the nonmedical factors that influence health outcomes and what resources can be provided. Social determinants affecting patients’ overall health and dental health include access to food and transportation, inflexible work schedules, the cost of dental care items, living paycheck-to-paycheck, and more. Such barriers can affect not only the likelihood of individuals to initiate dental care, but also to follow up after an immediate crisis has been resolved.
The program began in 2021, when staff at the two colleges met to assess the feasibility of having Social Work students complete their required field placements at the College of Dentistry. Over the next two years, the team worked together to develop a framework for the program and structure for the placements.
The first placement began in August 2023 with College of Social Work student Vivian Kwong. Ms. Kwong spent 15 hours per week in various dental clinics. While there, she observed treatments, talked with patients, and learned about the social determinants affecting patients’ lives and health. During her placement, she worked toward nine competencies of practice required by the Council on Social Work Education.
“It was a transformative experience,” Ms. Kwong said of her time at the College of Dentistry. “I gained some priceless insights about the barriers these patients face in trying to get dental care. I learned a lot about the scope of social work practice at a dental office and how organizational and institutional policies affect patients. Interacting with patients and listening to their stories has been touching. These are real people, with real lived experiences. Learning how to work with people can only be taught through experience.”
During her placement, Ms. Kwong created a form on which patients listed the issues in their lives that affect their health. “The forms were designed to show intersectionality of the patients’ health barriers,” she said. “I found that there were a lot of similarities in patients’ situations.” Patients could also use the form to request information about resources or becoming an established patient, or they could request a meeting or follow-up call from a social work student. “I met with them, arranged meetings, and emailed information they requested,” Ms. Kwong said. “The goal is to continue to learn and develop interventions that will make dental care more accessible and inclusive.”
Dean Carroll Ann Trotman said the collaboration with the College of Social Work will continue, with plans to expand the program into the student dental clinics. “We are considering embedding a social work professional at the College of Dentistry. That would enable us to increase the number of social work students we can host at both the bachelor’s and master’s degree levels; thus expanding these services to our patients,” she said.
Additional training is also planned. “The key to effectively serving patients in need—whether due to financial, legal, abuse or other situations—is to be sure our faculty and staff understand social workers’ expertise and when they can be of assistance,” Dean Trotman continued. “Together, we can make a positive difference in patients’ lives.”