Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association, Inc

Community Health Clinic

Community Health Work

Community health workers (CHW) are lay members of communities who work either for pay or as volunteers in association with the local health care system in both urban and rural environments and usually share ethnicity, language, socioeconomic status and life experiences with the community members they serve. They have been identified by many titles such as community health advisors, lay health advocates, "promotores(as), outreach educators, community health representatives, peer health promoters, and peer health educators. CHWs offer interpretation and translation services, provide culturally appropriate health education and information, assist people in receiving the care they need, give informal counseling and guidance on health behaviors, advocate for individual and community health needs, and provide some direct services such as first aid and blood pressure screening. Some examples of these practitioners are Community Health Aides or Practitioners established under 25 USC 1616 (l) under HHS, Indian Health Service, Public Health Service.

Dentistry

Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association, Inc is a Dentistry practice in Saint Paul Island, AK with healthcare providers who have special training and skill in diagnosis and treatment of problems with patients' teeth, gums, lips, and jaw. Dentists at Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association, Inc perform dental procedures focused on prevention of oral diseases such as tooth decay and periodontal disease. Dentistry is a branch of medicine concerned with study, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases affecting the oral cavity. Significant diseases and conditions treated at Dentistry practices include tooth cavities, gum disease, bad breath, tooth sensitivity, mouth sores, tooth erosion, and dental emergencies. Medical tests, procedures and therapies provided by Dentistry practices include dental examinations, filling cavities, removing tooth decay, repairing cracked teeth, performing root canals, and removing teeth.

A dentist is a person qualified by a doctorate in dental surgery (D.D.S.) or dental medicine (D.M.D.), licensed by the state to practice dentistry, and practicing within the scope of that license. There is no difference between the two degrees: dentists who have a DMD or DDS have the same education. Universities have the prerogative to determine what degree is awarded. Both degrees use the same curriculum requirements set by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation. Generally, three or more years of undergraduate education plus four years of dental school is required to graduate and become a general dentist. State licensing boards accept either degree as equivalent, and both degrees allow licensed individuals to practice the same scope of general dentistry. Additional post-graduate training is required to become a dental specialist.