The CDA Foundation’s board of directors plays a vital role in fulfilling our mission to support dental professionals, reduce barriers to care and improve Californians’ oral health through volunteerism and funding. Get to know Barbara Clyburn, DMD, MPH.
Establishing a foundation of community service as MPH student
Dr. Clyburn is deeply committed to helping underserved populations. The new graduate dentist is pursuing her board certification in dental public health while working for Vista Community Clinic, an organization that operates 13 community health centers in Southern California. Her work today builds on a foundation of community service she established as a Master of Public Health student at A.T. Still University in Missouri.
While in school, Clyburn served as a lead oral health educator for Smile America Partners, delivering oral health education to low-income elementary schools across San Bernardino, Riverside, San Diego and Los Angeles counties. She also worked as a behavior interventionist, providing vital services to children with autism spectrum disorders and Down syndromeand offering tailored behavioral interventions to local families.
Staying connected to causes through volunteer leadership
Clyburn became involved in student leadership roles during her academic career. In addition to serving as a CDA student representative, she was also president of the Western University Student National Dental Association Chapter, founding vice president of the American Association of Public Health Dentistry Western University Chapter and legislative liaison for the Western University American Student Dental Association Chapter.
Her involvement in leadership and organized dentistry continues today. She is a CDA Foundation board member, is co-chair of the San Diego County Oral Health Coalition’s Children’s Oral Health Workgroup, and serves on the Summer Health Professions Education Program Alumni Advisory Board and the National Dental Association’s New Dentist Committee. “These experiences allow me to collaborate, give back, and remain closely connected to the communities and causes I care about most,” Clyburn said.
Where leadership and community service intersect
When asked what she enjoys most about her involvement with the CDA Foundation, Clyburn replied, “I have enjoyed getting to know dentists from all over the state who share a genuine passion for our profession and for serving our communities.”