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Rosa Bonillo Farias didn't expect to end up in Cleveland, Ohio, when she began searching for dental residency programs. The internationally trained dentist from Caracas, Venezuela, was browsing opportunities along the East Coast, preferably somewhere with warmer weather. But when a fellow dentist showed her the Advanced Education in General Dentistry program at MetroHealth, everything changed.

Now in her first year at MetroHealth's dentistry program, Bonillo Farias is participating in a partnership between MetroHealth and ����ԭ�� that integrates public health education into clinical dental training. The collaboration was made possible by a federal grant awarded to MetroHealth to strengthen dental residents' public health skills.

The partnership connects MetroHealth's dental residency programs with ����ԭ��'s College of Public Health, offering residents the opportunity to pursue a Master of Public Health while completing their clinical training. Bonillo Farias is the first resident to participate and began her coursework in January, working with advisor Thomas Brewer, Ph.D., M.Jur., CHC, who is a professor of health policy and management in the College of Public Health. The program is completed entirely online, allowing her to balance clinical rotations with her studies.

"When I read the description of the program, I was thrilled because one of my main motivations to get into public health was to expand my area of influence beyond the dental chair, because what I do in the dental chair is targeting individuals, and impact at the community level seems limited," Bonillo Farias said in an interview with ����ԭ�� Today. "I wanted to do more. I wanted to help more." 

Bonillo Farias sees the program as a bridge between two fields that have long been kept apart. "Dentistry, historically, has been separated from medicine, but it doesn't have to be like that," she said. "It's the same patient and whatever happens in the mouth affects the body." 

The public health component aligns with her career goals and her experience in Venezuela's public health system, where she witnessed how social determinants of health — education, housing and access to care — influence oral and overall health outcomes.

“Oral health is inseparable from overall health. Preventing oral disease is a critical step in reducing the burden of chronic illness in our communities, and this program represents a bold, integrated approach in that direction,” said Sonia Alemagno, Ph.D., dean of the College of Public Health. “By uniting dental education with public health training and primary care collaboration, we are preparing dentists not only to treat disease, but to address the social determinants, behavioral health needs and chronic conditions that shape the overall health of our most vulnerable populations. When dentists are trained as public health leaders, they become powerful agents of change.” 

Bonillo Farias' path to Cleveland was marked by determination. After arriving in the United States eight years ago and settling initially in Orlando, Florida, she worked as a dental assistant and later obtained her dental hygiene license while studying for the national dental boards. She passed the boards in December 2023 and was accepted into MetroHealth's program the following year.

Upon completing her two-year residency and master's degree, Bonillo Farias plans to apply for her dental license in Ohio. Her long-term goals include combining public health work with private practice and teaching — inspired by her mother, a biology teacher in Venezuela.

"I always believed that patient education creates change," she said. "When we dedicate a few minutes to educating parents and kids and planting the seed, we can see changes for better health."

The collaboration between MetroHealth and ����ԭ�� reflects a recognition of the connection between oral health and overall wellness. Bonillo Farias is passionate about addressing that link, noting research connecting periodontal disease to diabetes, pregnancy complications and Alzheimer's disease. "The mouth," she said, "I believe, is like the entrance of all good and bad things."

Through the program, Bonillo Farias is building a strong foundation for her future in dentistry. 

“I’m looking forward to building on this foundation and exploring how epidemiology and health policy can continue to strengthen my clinical practice and long-term career goals,” Bonillo Farias said.

Learn more about ����ԭ��'s College of Public Health.