UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN – SCHOOL OF DENTISTRYMULTICULTURAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE (MAC)

HISTORYIn 1994 / 95, we conducted a cultural audit at the University of Michigan – School of Dentistry to analyze the cultural climate in our school. We collected survey data from patients, students, staff and faculty members, observational data concerning disability issues, focus group data from members of our school with specific characteristics such as from older adults or from persons who self identified as LGB, statistical information about recruitment and retention of persons from underrepresented minority backgrounds, and analyzed which resource materials our library had. After analyzing all these data, we came up with recommendations. One of the recommendations was to have a multicultural affairs committee and the MAC was born as a school committee that reports to directly to the dean.

WHO?The MAC consists of students, staff and faculty members. To recruit new members, an email is sent to the dental school community and everybody is asked to self nominate or to nominate others. The MAC members review the nominations and suggest nominees to the dean that represent the school wide community. The dean appoints the members.

ONCE IN A WHILE In 2005/06 we repeated the survey section of the cultural audit from 1994/95. In collaboration with the ADVANCE Program, we again collected data from students, staff and faculty members. After analyzing the data, MAC made recommendations to the dean for changes.

ONCE A YEAR

MLK celebration & Ida Gray Award:

Every year, MAC organizes an MLK event on the afternoon of MLK Day for the members of the SoD. At the MLK event, the Ida Gray awards are presented by the dean to the student, staff and faculty member who in one way or another contributed to making the cultural climate in our school better.

Orientation Programs for incoming dental and dental hygiene students

The entering dental and dental hygiene classes participate in two classroom based diversity related orientation sessions and visit the African American History Museum in

Detroit and the Farmington Hills Holocaust Memorial.

AND THEN?

A FEW TIMES A YEAR

About three times a year, we distribute the

MULTICULTURAL MIRROR

This newsletter informs the SoD members about ongoing events, new members of our community, and holiday celebrations. The newsletter is distributed to our dental school community as an email attachment. Hard copies are distributed as well.

MONTHLYDisability CE events

Once a month, a free continuing education program for staff and faculty in the school about treating patients with special needs. This program started in January 2002 and has since been conducted every month during the year with a summer break in July and August.

University of Michigan – School of DentistryMulticultural Affairs Committee

Free CE Series on “Treating Patients with Special Needs”Fall 2010

September: Sleep apnea October: Treating pediatric patients with special needs November: Oral hygiene services for patients with

developmental disabilitiesDecember: Diabetes and periodontal disease

Winter 2011January: Periodontitis and Cardiovascular DiseaseFebruary: Periodontitis and Pregnancy Outcomes March: ADHD and interactions in the dental officeApril: Child abuse, elder abuse and domestic violence.

Spring 2011May: Treating patients in the emergency roomJune: Treating patients with HIV/AIDS

Raising awareness brown bags

We organize monthly brown bags presented by members of our school that report about their country of origin or their travels to another country.

“Getting to Know YOU” Brown Bag presentations

October 2010 Dr. May reports about the Kenya trip

November 2010 Evelyn and Victoria Lucas-Perry will talk about their Jamaica trip

December 2010 The Muslim Dental Student Association reports

January 2011 Hispanic Dental Association reports

February 2011 Luke Danning, Jon Hekman & Stephen Mancewicz report about Honduras trip

April 2010 Yoshita Patel – Dental Care in India

May 2011 Miran Forsyth reports about Guayana trip

EVERY DAYOur director of multicultural affairs works continuously to raise awareness and advocate.

Our ethnic student organizations such as the SNDA, HDA, Muslim and Asian student groups make our school a better place for all students

We all celebrate the diversity of our patients, students, staff and faculty members.

MISSIONThe mission of the University of Michigan School of Dentistry Multicultural Affairs Committee is to create an atmosphere where students, staff, faculty and patients can inter-act and benefit in a supportive environment by promoting justice and by exploring and celebrating differences and similarities.The Multicultural Affairs Committee will contribute to the University of Michigan School of Dentistry’s process for achieving excellence through diversity by:- Providing directions for changed and promoting progress based on current and previous findings of the Multicultural Initiatives Committee;- Acting as an advisory committee to the Dean of School and providing yearly progress reports to the Dean for dissemination;- Supporting other groups and committees in promoting multiculturalism and diversity.

The University of MichiganSchool of Dentistry

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

"A Diversity Buffet and Taste of Culture"

Monday, January 17, 20112:00—4:00 p.m.Student Forum

ONCE A YEARTaste fest

About once a year, we organize a potluck lunch in our atrium - tastefully defined as Taste fest. We encourage our participants to decorate their tables with cultural artifacts from their own culture and share a dish that is typical for their own culture.

Women’s month activityIn March, we celebrate Women’s Month with an event such as a tea or a craft fair.