UConn dentist seeks to promote oral health for Latinos

As one of the few Hispanic dentists in Connecticut – indeed, in the country – Dr. Sarita Arteaga relishes her role as president of the Hispanic Dental Association.

“I’m kind of a pioneer,” says Arteaga, assistant clinical professor in the Department of Oral Rehabilitation, Biomaterials, and Skeletal Development.

“Our organization is young, established less than 20 years ago, and I feel like I’m helping build the collaborations and partnerships that support our mission to improve oral health for the Hispanic community. I can see how much we are growing, and I feel my opinions and my work will affect how we move forward.”

Elected president in July, Arteaga will serve for 18 months, as the organization changes the appointment from a fiscal year to a calendar year term.

She runs board meetings and oversees committees for the group, which has 2,500 members – including dentists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants – and 31 student chapters (with four more in the works).

She also attends national and regional meetings with other dentists, legislators, and government officials to discuss important oral health care issues and suggest strategies for improvement.

The group focuses on improving access to care and recruiting more Latinos into dentistry.

“We know people are more likely to go to a provider they feel comfortable with, yet Latinos and African-Americans make up less than 10 percent of the country’s practicing dentists,” she says.

Other roadblocks facing the Latino community are lack of access to treatment because of transportation problems; dentists’ reluctance to accept Medicaid; and language and cultural issues, such as lack of knowledge about the importance of daily dental care.