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Description
This course provides healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills on integrating behavioral health and oral health services for people with HIV/AIDS in community health centers. Participants will explore the complex relationships among HIV infection, oral health conditions, mental health disorders, substance use, social determinants of health, and treatment adherence. Emphasis is placed on interprofessional collaboration, trauma-informed care, culturally responsive practices, and patient-centered approaches that improve health outcomes and quality of life. The course also addresses barriers to care, stigma reduction, care navigation, risk assessment, and integrated workflows that support comprehensive treatment and prevention efforts within federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), other community-based healthcare organizations, and private dental offices.
Objectives
- Describe the relationship between HIV/AIDS, behavioral health conditions, and oral health outcomes.
- Identify common oral manifestations associated with HIV infection and their implications for overall health.
- Apply principles of trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and patient-centered care when working with people living with HIV/AIDS.
- Develop interdisciplinary care coordination strategies that integrate medical, dental, and behavioral health services.
- Implement screening, referral, and follow-up processes to improve continuity of care within community health centers.
Speaker
Dr. Alex Barrera
Director of Dental Services
Avenue 360 Health and Wellness
Assistant Professor, University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston