We’re thrilled to introduce Helina Iyod-Tessema, who is joining our team as an intern this semester! Helina brings a unique perspective to public health, combining her experience as a pediatric dental resident with the University of California San Francisco with her graduate studies in pursuit of her Master of Public Health at San Jose State University. (Yes! She is busy!) Her passion for serving diverse communities and her commitment to improving health outcomes for children make her an exciting addition to dfusion. We sat down with Helina to learn more about her journey, her interests, and what she hopes to accomplish during her time with us.
Background & Journey
What experiences (academic, volunteer, or professional) have shaped your public health perspective so far?
My interest in public health is intrinsically related to my work as a pediatric dentist. In dentistry, especially when working with children, oral health outcomes are beyond teeth, but are related to family circumstances, access to care, nutrition, education, and health literacy, among others. Public health allows me to take what I love about pediatric dentistry and scale it to help more children thrive, beyond the walls of our clinic.
Current Work & Interests
What are you most excited to learn or work on during your internship with our team?
I am very excited to learn more about being an effective provider and how to best support patients with autism navigate the dental setting. The dental setting can be intimidating for patients in general, and certainly the sensory obstacles in the dental setting (sounds, smells, tastes) can be very daunting for patients. I want to learn more about different techniques that can ease patient’s concerns and leave them satisfied with their care.
Skills & Approach
What is your public health superpower?
My public health superpower is my ability to connect with patients from different cultures. As a trilingual provider with some limited communication in additional languages, I pride myself in my ability to connect with patients from different backgrounds and relying on my shared interests and goals.
Personal Touch
When you’re not studying or working, what do you enjoy doing?
I really enjoy cooking, baking, and party planning!
If you could solve one public health challenge, what would it be?
If I could solve one public health challenge, it would be reducing firearm violence in the United States. Gun-related injuries and deaths particularly among young people is a public health crises, and has far-reaching emotional and economic burdens. Efforts to address this crisis can often be politicized, but solving this issue would save lives and provide security/safety in our communities.
We’re excited to have Helina on our team and look forward to the unique perspectives and skills she’ll bring to our work at dfusion. Welcome, Helina!