Cultural Competence and Preventing Health Disparities for Dental Professionals:

Health disparities are an ongoing issue in the American healthcare system. These health disparities have effects on the health of the individual, health of the society as well as large effects on the economy. These health disparities often occur because there are systematic barriers that make accessing health care more difficult for some groups. This program will look at the social determinants of health and some of the ways culture can affect health beliefs. In addition, this program introduces the concept of cultural competence as a process to improve patient interactions. The goal of this training is to expose the learner to these ideas and tools in order to prevent health disparities. This course is approved by the Oregon Health Authority’s Office of Equity and Inclusion as an educational training for all healthcare professionals.

Oregon State University College of Pharmacy, as the only publicly funded higher education pharmacy institution in the state, often works at the behest of the state of Oregon. The college is asked to respond to pharmacy education needs driven by the legislature, such as in statues and those driven by the Oregon Health Authority by public health care policy, such is with this course.

Accreditation Information:

The Oregon Board of Dentistry will calculate two hours of cultural competence CE within your total CE hour requirement. You will still need your 40, 36, or 24 hours of CE for a two year license period.

OSU College of Pharmacy is approved by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) as a provider of continuing pharmacy education (CPE).

The Oregon Health Authority's Office of Equity and Inclusion approves this cultural competency continuing education course as educational training for all healthcare professionals.

Completing this course fulfills your 2 hours of required cultural competence CE and qualifies for your Oregon Board of Dentistry requirements. You are responsible for the submission of training hours to your licensing board for continuing education approval.