Karen G. Wells
Aurora
Summary
Advance my education by obtaining a Master’s in Public Health Administration to improve healthcare systems and access for underserved populations by addressing health disparities and leading effective public health programs.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Registered Dental Hygienist, Clinical Program Coordinator
Children’s Hospital Colorado
04.2018 - Current
- Identify and address health inequities as related to the social determinants of health for diverse and underserved children in the community. Create and manage programs in the primary care setting, schools and community setting.
- Opened two school-based dental clinics utilizing the hygiene model in conjunction with school-based health centers in the Aurora Public School district. Created a financial process for uninsured students to receive care at no-cost and created a transportation assistance process.
- Manage the in-school dental screening program by coordinating and providing dental preventive services and oral health education to students across the school district, parents and school staff. Triage and place referrals to the recommended dental service provider. Care coordination with school-based health center medical providers, school nurses and Pediatric Dental Center at Children's Hospital Colorado, and the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine. Attend yearly outreach events. Utilize Epic applications, Microsoft Office applications, referral platform OnBase.
- Provide quarterly certification training to medical staff on preventive oral health services as a Cavity Free at Three Master Trainer at three primary care clinics. Provide monthly lectures to rotating medical residents and advanced practice providers.
- Provide bi-annual hygiene preventive services at Children's Hospital KidStreet, a multidisciplinary program for medically complex infants and children. Co-panelist presenter at the American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry conference (2021).
- Oversee Memorandum of Understandings with community partners, conduct and participate in monthly to quarterly meetings with community partners, present overview of program to stakeholders to include but not limited to Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Aurora Health Alliance, Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation, Youth Healthcare Alliance.
- Multi-year grant management totaling over $800,000. Secure funding, complete deliverables and reporting.
- Act as Team lead, created standard of work for program positions, hire and train new staff, conduct monthly 1:1 check-ins.
Registered Dental Hygienist
Denver Health Medical Center
03.2014 - 03.2018
- Provide preventive dental services and oral health education to students enrolled in Denver Public Schools. Promote positive relations between Denver Health and Denver Public Schools, abide by HIPAA and FERPA guidelines
- Acted as lead developer for streamlining referral protocol within sealant program, created metric data collection spreadsheets to assist with quality improvement of program and measuring productivity of sealant program
- Administrative, clerical, and miscellaneous duties including but not limited to obtaining consents for treatment, placing telephone calls to parents/guardians, submitting orders for referrals, delivering mobile dental unit equipment via work vehicle. Utilize clinic applications e.g. Epic, Wisdom, Dentrix.
- Completed LEAN trainings and process improvement workshops
Registered Dental Hygienist
Marina Vista Dental
10.2010 - 06.2012
- Provide top of scope dental hygiene services
- Eaglesoft software, digital radiographs/Dexis, sterilized instruments, operatory set-up/cleanup, tray set-ups, stocked inventory, used ultrasonic scaler and hand instruments, sharpened instruments.
- Good patient rapport and chairside manner, updated patient health questionnaires, provided oral hygiene instructions, discussed needed dental treatment to patients, post-operative follow-ups, record keeping, scheduled patients, aided in front desk duties
Registered Dental Hygienist
Comprehensive Family Dentistry, Dr. Timothy Lemke
09.2008 - 07.2009
- Provide top of scope dental hygiene services
- Dentrix software, digital radiographs/Dexis, sterilized instruments, operatory set-up/cleanup, tray set-ups, stocked inventory, used ultrasonic scaler and hand instruments, sharpened instruments.
- Vizilite Oral Cancer Screening, extra/intraoral examinations.
Education
Graduate Certificate - Public Health- Emphasis in Community Track
Touro University-California
Vallejo, CA12.2010
Associate of Applied Science - Dental Hygiene
Pueblo Community College
Pueblo, CO08.2008
Bachelor of Science - Biology
University of Colorado-Denver and Health and Sciences Center
Denver, CO05.2006
Skills
- Program Development & Management
- Health program planning and implementation
- Grant writing & fundraising
- Strategic planning Communication Skills
- Health communication
- Community outreach & stakeholder engagement
- Cultural competency Soft Skills
- Critical thinking
- Leadership
- Team collaboration
Affiliations
Colorado Mission of Mercy (2024)
Certification
- Registered Licensure in Dental Hygiene, State of Colorado, License # 905733, Exp 02/2026
- American Heart Association, BLS, Exp 2026
- Cavity Free at Three Master Trainer, 2019-Current
- Registered Licensure in Dental Hygiene, State of California, License #25182, Exp 11/2012
Timeline
Registered Dental Hygienist, Clinical Program Coordinator
Children’s Hospital Colorado
04.2018 - Current
Registered Dental Hygienist
Denver Health Medical Center
03.2014 - 03.2018
Registered Dental Hygienist
Marina Vista Dental
10.2010 - 06.2012
Registered Dental Hygienist
Comprehensive Family Dentistry, Dr. Timothy Lemke
09.2008 - 07.2009
Graduate Certificate - Public Health- Emphasis in Community Track
Touro University-California
Associate of Applied Science - Dental Hygiene
Pueblo Community College
Bachelor of Science - Biology
University of Colorado-Denver and Health and Sciences Center
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