Y. Ann Slaughter, D.D.S., M.P.H.
- Assistant Professor, Department of Community Oral Health, Penn Dental School
- Course Director for Geriatrics
A native of Chattanooga, Tennessee, Dr. Slaughter holds a B.A. from Fisk University, Doctor of Dental Surgery from Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry, and a Master of Public Health from the University of Michigan. She completed a geriatric medicine fellowship at the University of Connecticut Travelers Center on Aging. Dr. Slaughter combines her training in epidemiology and aging to promote oral health literacy among underserved older adults. She has developed a culturally appropriate educational program, Take Charge of Your Oral Health, targeted to urban community-residing African Americans. The program raises awareness of oral signs and symptoms that require dental care, and awareness of oral health in the context of general health. Her current research is focused towards evaluating the effectiveness of this community-based intervention to improve the practice of preventive oral self-care behaviors. Dr. Slaughter is the first dentist to receive a fellowship from the Brookdale Foundation and she was featured in the Aetna 2004 African American History Calendar, A Look at African Americans in Dentistry. Dr. Slaughter holds memberships in the American Public Health Association (APHA) and Special Care Dentistry (SCD). She is currently Chair of the Gerontology and Geriatrics Education section of the American Dental Education Association (ADEA). She also lectures in the Health Promotion and Practice Management courses in the department of Preventive and Restorative Sciences.