Beyond the Smile: Integrating Trauma-Informed Care and Human Trafficking Awareness into Dental Practice

Take the Accredited CE Quiz:

Learning Objectives:

• Define human trafficking using the AMP model and differentiate between labor and sex trafficking.
• Identify the vulnerabilities for being trafficked and common emotional, behavioral, physical, and social signs of trafficking, including oral health implications.
• Respond with a trauma-informed approach and activate interdisciplinary collaboration to support the needs of individuals who have been trafficked.

Author Qualifications:

Dr. Lauren C. Mays is an Associate Professor at The University of Alabama at Birmingham and a board-certified family nurse practitioner. She serves as Clinic Director at UAB at The Wellhouse—the first primary care clinic in the Southeast embedded within a residential recovery program for survivors of human trafficking. Since 2019, Dr. Mays has delivered trauma-informed care to trafficking survivors across 29 states and internationally. A recognized expert in trauma-informed care, human trafficking, and social determinants of health, she is a frequent speaker, author, and peer reviewer. Dr. Mays co-chairs the Human Trafficking Special Interest Group of the Academy of Forensic Nursing and serves on the advisory board of the National Association of Family Nurse Practitioners. Her achievements have been honored with the PADMA Award for clinical excellence and the Nancy Smith Memorial Excellence in Teaching Award.