Keeping teeth clean, making children happy, and building careers in dentistry.

That’s the thrust behind a University of Iowa initiative in Allamakee County, Iowa, where third-year students from the UI College of Dentistry and Dental Clinics travel four times a year to check schoolchildren’s teeth, offer tips on oral care, and show what it means to be a community dentist.

With this partnership in mind, the UI College of Dentistry joined with the UI College of Education to create an outreach effort called Project SEALED—Service, Engagement, and LifeCareer Education in Dentistry.

“It’s really been a win-win situation,” says Michelle McQuistan, associate professor in the UI College of Dentistry. “Project SEALED benefits both the children in the communities and our dental students. We all learn from each other.”

Project SEALED has two main goals. The first is to provide on-site educational programs for elementary and middle school students and their parents to help generate interest in dental careers. The second is to give UI dental students educational leadership experiences by allowing them to deliver dental care to children in community-based service-learning settings.

This collaborative project is a partnership between the UI and school systems in Postville and Waukon, Iowa, and originally was funded by the UI Office of Provost. To date, more than 300 UI dental students have provided screenings, cleanings, fluoride varnish application, and/or sealants to more than 700 elementary, middle, and high school students in these communities.

Project SEALED made its first dental outreach visit to Allamakee County in 2013. UI students, faculty, and staff visited school children in Waukon and Postville, teaching them good dental hygiene techniques and providing some children with preventative care. The program partners with local dentists who also help supervise the dental students and serve as referral sources for children with urgent dental needs.

In addition to helping the children within the community, the UI students get hands-on experience working in the field as they think about what their careers will be like after they graduate.

“There are multiple factors to consider that can only be learned from personal experience, such as the community involvement of local dentists, the amount of administration participation, and the different equipment requirements for this program,” says McQuistan. “Our dental students learn the planning and technical skills that go into a school-based sealant program.”