NYU dental school prepares students for terrorism response
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Posted May 13, 2004 |
By Karen Fox New York City — The New York University College of Dentistry is the first dental school in the nation to implement a four-year curriculum in terrorism preparedness that all students are required to complete. The dental school launched the new curriculum last fall.
"Our reasoning is based on two premises," said Dr. Michael Alfano, NYU dental dean. "First, that the country is vulnerable to catastrophic events originating as natural disasters, industrial accidents or terrorist crimes.
"Second," he continued, "that all graduates must know the early warning signs and symptoms of attack along with appropriate ways to respond to the needs of patients and staff, as well as how to interact with other health professionals and first responders to strengthen the community response."
The program is designed to educate and prepare future dentists to "participate fully in community, state and national biodefense teams," said Dr. Dianne Rekow, NYU's director of translational research and chair, Bioterrorism Catastrophe Response Task Force, who led the curriculum development.
The curriculum covers the spectrum of preparedness training. Freshman students start out by learning emergency response behaviors to follow within the college — such as fire, infection control, evacuation and shelter-in-place requirements. At the senior level, dental students learn how to assess risk of attack, identify potential agents and how they might be used, likely modes of dissemination, and signs and symptoms.
In addition, new practice management courses address office equipment and staff training in biodefense.
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