Community Dental Health/Service Learning

Service to the community is an essential component built into the Dental and Dental Hygiene curricula at the University of Louisville School of Dentistry (ULSD). The students are provided with community- based experiences to enhance awareness of diverse, underrepresented and underserved populations outside the university setting. The Director of Community Dental Health pre-approves student community based experiences for participation, support and course credit. This service includes three components.

  1. Community Service - Approved Community Engagement, Volunteerism, etc. for any "worthy" cause.  Students are encouraged to develop and execute their own projects.
  2. Service Learning - Approved Clinical Enrichment or Non-clinical community service with a dental career focus.  Students are encouraged to develop and execute non-clinical events.
  3. Service Learning Community-Based Externships – Formal clinical enrichments and career focused extramural proctorships.

Community Service, Service Learning, and Service Learning Community-Based Externship Courses

Full course descriptions are available in the University Course Catalog

  • DMD Program
    • CMPD 880-07 Community Service -  ½ credit (Course Director: Mrs. Julie Drury)
    • GDOM 848-07 Clinical Extramural Experience -  4-6 credits (Course Director: Mrs. Julie Drury)
  • Dental Hygiene Program
    • DHED 406 Community Dental Health II - 3 credits (Course Director: Mrs. Jennifer Rudy)
    • DHED 417 Extramural Education Program - 2 credits (Course Director: Mrs. Julie Drury)

Student Organizations with Service Learning and/or Community Service Components

  • SNDA  - Student National Dental Association
  • CMDA - Christian Medical Dental Association
  • Alpha Omega  (International Fraternity)
  • Psi Omega (International Fraternity)
  • SHDA  - Student Hispanic Dental Association
  • LASDA - Louisville American Student Dental Association
  • SADHA - Student American Dental Hygiene Association

Community Affiliates

  • KY AHEC Program
  • SMILE KY!
  • KY Cancer Program
  • Louisville-Metro Oral Health Safety Net Providers Coalition
  • KY Oral Health Coalition
  • ADA - American Dental Association
  • KDA - Kentucky Dental Association
  • LDS - Louisville Dental Society
  • ADHA - American Dental Hygienists’ Association
  • KYDHA - Kentucky Dental Hygienists’ Association
  • LDDHA - Louisville District Dental Hygienist Association
  • Ryan White Program
  • Kosair for Kids