Podcast Interview with Dr. Jevae Nelson,
General Practitioner and Public Health Dentist
General Practitioner and Public Health Dentist
HUCDPHD: Hello. I'd like to welcome Dr. Jevae Nelson to our interview in her area of expertise as a dentist, a
recent graduate of Howard University, and introduce her as a public health
specialist. Welcome, Dr. Nelson. How are you? ... Dr. Nelson?
Dr. Nelson: Yes, ma'am.
HUCDPHD: Hello, I'd just like to welcome you to
our interview. You are of a public health specialist. First, I'll start off
with what dental school did you attend?
Dr. Nelson: I went to the illustrious Howard
University College of Dentistry.
HUCDPHD: Wonderful. Wonderful. And how recent of
a graduate are you?
Dr. Nelson: I graduated in 2016.
HUCDPHD: Wonderful. Wonderful. You are a public
health dentist, or a general dentist specializing in public health right now.
Dr. Nelson: Yes.
HUCDPHD: Can you tell us what were some of your
reasons for becoming a public health dentist?
Dr. Nelson: Well, I wanted to make a difference,
and I love kids, and I was actually in between public health and pedo. I had
thought I wanted to be a pediatric dentist my entire life, and I actually went
to one that then participated in a research project there where we were
focusing our studies on first graders. And so that kind of exposed me to the
fact that I could be involved with children and dentistry and public health all
in one, with this specialty. And so I kind of went the public health route.
And, mostly, I thought that I wanted to make a difference, just like any other
dentist, but on a large scale, so I wanted to be a part of the groundbreaking
discoveries that help to revolutionize dentistry and like the way that we
practice, if you look at fluoride or silver diamine fluoride and things like
that. But it took public health dentists, paired with other dentists and
engineers, to come up with those things. That was my, I guess, interest in
becoming a public health dentist.
HUCDPHD: That's great. Wow, that sounds really
interesting. What are the additional training requirements that are necessary
to become a public health dentist, and how long is the additional training?
Dr. Nelson: To become a public health dentist, to
become a board certified public health dentist, you have to have at least an
MPH, so that could be one to two years training. And, in addition to that,
before you can take the last part of the exam, you have to have practice in the
field for one year. The board certification that is required for this is two
parts. There's an oral part and there is a written part.
HUCDPHD: Okay. Okay. Very interesting. And where
are you undertaking your Masters in Public Health courses?
Dr. Nelson: Well, I am at Harvard University. Wouldn't be there without Howard. But at Harvard, it's a
little bit different. I'm actually never going to get an MPH. I'm getting a
Masters in Medical Science. And the coursework that we have and the
opportunities that they provide us fulfill all of the requirements for an MPH,
but they are just special and so they have a different name for it.
HUCDPHD: I see. I see. I see. You'll still be
able to go through at whole accreditation process, right?
Dr. Nelson: Of course, yes. That's a requirement
for a program. You have to take the written part while you're there, and then
since you have to wait one year, they really strongly suggest that you take the
oral defense portion as well.
HUCDPHD: Okay. Oh, wow. Okay. Are there any
specific state licensing required?
Dr. Nelson: It's the same as a dentist. You would
do the same thing as a general dentist, as far as licensure.
HUCDPHD: Okay. Okay. And what would be the
typical day as a public health dentist? What do you foresee yourself doing on
day to day?
Dr. Nelson: Well, a typical day for a public health
dentist varies so vastly, which is part of the reason why I joined this
profession because I get bored doing the same things over and over. Although I
do love dentistry and I love practicing, I like to have diversity. For example,
a few weeks ago, I spent a lot of my time down at the city hall, and there were
some bills going on about dental therapists, as well as some other bills that
probably are applicable to you about the board exam and making it not clinical
with live patients. But I spent my entire day down there advocating for things
that I believe in and so you could do something like that in policy, or you
could choose a more academic route, or you could have a research strength, or
you could just work for the government and do more like a community approach.
HUCDPHD: Okay. Do you foresee yourself
incorporating clinical practice?
Dr. Nelson: Do I foresee myself incorporating
public dental health dentistry?
HUCDPHD: Or clinical practicing?
Dr. Nelson: Oh yeah. I currently practice.
HUCDPHD: Oh okay. Wonderful.
Dr. Nelson: Yeah, so just because you’re a public
health dentist does not mean that you give up what you’ve worked so hard for.
So that should be very clear.
HUCDPHD: Wonderful.
Dr. Nelson: You have the option- oh excuse me. You
have the option to do really whatever you want. You can make your schedule
however you want it.
HUCDPHD: Wonderful. Wonderful. So to you what is
the most rewarding part about being a public health Dentist?
Dr. Nelson: I will say that the most rewarding part
is... I think that it would be similar to any other dentist. Just that feeling
that you get when you know that you’ve made an impact and you’re making a
difference. I guess for the public health I just have the option of not
limiting myself to my clinical abilities but also helping to provide
breakthroughs to research and advocacy and policy changes.
Right now, I’ve been
assimilating a lot of work towards Congress concerning CHIP, which is a
children’s health insurance program, and the fact that they didn’t reinstate
it. And really trying to almost lobby but just provide them information so that
they know the seriousness of this and the fact that almost 9,000,000 children
depend on it and just trying to advocate for the dental needs and the dental
benefits for everyone. So it’s really about health equity as a dental public
health specialist. It’s not that you wanted to give everyone an equal amounts
of benefits but you want to have everyone on an equal level so I’m just trying
to help those who are underserved and underrepresented, and give them the same
opportunities that everyone else has. That’s kind of what drives me and I guess
that would be what’s rewarding about the profession.
HUCDPHD: That’s a commendable body of work that you’re
undertaking right now.
So in your clinical
practice what types of patients are you seeing?
Dr. Nelson: Well currently I work for Forsyth Kids and that is a private organization, but they see children who
take state insurance. So I spend a lot of my time with underserved and
under-represented youth and treating them. Just trying to educate them so that
they can help themselves and not have to come and get a filling or restoration
or a crown or anything like that continuously. We try to empower them so that
they can take control of their oral health, as well as their overall health.
Right now I’m seeing children, which is perfect because like I said I wanted to
work with children at first but you can see whatever type of patients that you
wanted clinically if that were your desire. Because after all you still are a
dentist.
HUCDPHD: So in your public health and that kind
of aspect of your life, do you deal with any lobby, state legislators, and
federal legislatures? Do you also work with other community oral health
advocacy groups?
Dr. Nelson: I work with community advocacy groups,
but as far as oral health I think that us public health dentists are really the
advocates as far as oral health. The ADA has their health policy institute and
there's people there for sure and there's policy people all over but specific
to dentistry, I think that it would be us.
But for instance, on
Monday I was at this breakfast and it was the health law advocacy group and it
was lawyers, and medical doctors, and dentists, and mental health workers and a
group of over 7,000 that came together to brainstorm and really work towards
advocating for others and at this particular instance we were talking about
those who were DACA immigrants or DACA recipients. And just advocating for
people that come, I mean minorities, there's different forms of minorities and
immigrants are one of them. We try to advocate for everyone.
HUCDPHD: Interesting. Interesting. Very
interesting. Let's see. Are there any local organizations that public health
dentists should join, recommend joining, or that you yourself are a member of?
Dr. Nelson: I'm already a member of the American
Association of Public Health Dentistry. With that they have something called
the National Oral Health Conference that's like a sister, just a conference
part of the APHD. In addition, there's the American Association of State and
Territorial Dental Directors, which is a TDD, an integral part of the public
health community. I would say APHD, American Association of Dental Directors,
or State and Territorial Dental Directors, those are excellent starters.
There's also, you could dive into specific programs as you see the need.
HUCDPHD: Okay, interesting.
What is, I think I might know this based on what you talked about earlier, but
what is your most important dental related public health issue that you want to
spend your time fighting for?
Dr. Nelson: I really am fighting for equity. I wish
this was in person, I could show you a picture or even draw a picture of what
it really means. Maybe you could Google it - health equity
versus health equality just so that you could see what the difference is and
what were striving for. That's something that's really important for me. Just
equipping people with literacy skills as well to understand their own health
and how it effects their oral and overall health. That's something that's
important.
HUCDPHD: Okay. What advice would you give a D1
student who might have some type of interest but is not really sure about
public health? What type of advice would you give them?
Dr. Nelson: I would first say keep an open mind
because like I said, I wanted to be a dentist at five and before I came to
dental school, while I was in college, I just knew I wanted to be a pediatric
dentist. It wasn't until my third year in dental school, when I studied abroad
in London, that I really exposed myself to the opportunity of doing something
other than pediatric dentistry. That was pretty late in the career because you
have to apply for residencies shortly after. I actually did get into a
residency that was public health and it was three years. It was a paid
position, but I really found my love for public health dentistry. I really want
to fight to change the world of dentistry so that everyone can have an equal
opportunity. I would tell a D1 to keep your options open. I loved endo, I was
great, and I had a great relationship with all my prof professors so I had
options. I just followed my heart. Follow your heart because at the end of the
day you want to be happy with what you do and you want to go to work and you
don't want to feel like its work. Enjoy what you do and then that can help you.
HUCDPHD: Well I just want to
thank you Dr. Nelson for your time, and for your advice, and the words that you
spoke. I wish you the best.
Dr. Nelson: One other thing if you don't mind. If
anyone is interested and they just want to talk a little more, they want to
find out anything more, I definitely bleed blue, the Howard Blue, I would be
interested in answering any concerns, any questions or helping to mentor
anyone. That's a definite important part of our development in our career. I
just want to make that known so that you can let others know what this is. Some
people might not look into it because its not very lucrative if you are trying
to be a millionaire really, really quickly. If you want that internal
satisfaction, then definitely let them contact me.
HUCDPHD: I will do that. Thank you very much, Dr.
Nelson.
Dr. Nelson: Okay. Thank you.
HUCDPHD: I look forward to talking
to you soon. Thank you.
Dr. Nelson: Bye, bye.
HUCDPHD: Bye, bye.
