Health Insurance & Services
WLHSDM does not provide health insurance for its students or their dependents; however, it mandates all students to maintain health insurance throughout their tenure spanning four years of dental school. Students are personally responsible for any medical expenses incurred in the absence of insurance coverage. Texas Tech Health El Paso extends medical, dental, and vision health insurance options through a third-party affiliate, Academic Health Plans. For enrollment details, please visit https://ttuhscep.myahpcare.com/enrollment.
Moreover, all TTUHSCEP clinics, including community clinics where students undergo training, necessitate students to possess valid health insurance coverage. Proof of coverage may be requested by clinic personnel at any juncture, and students without insurance will be denied access to clinical experiences.
Health services are currently unavailable on campus. Students in need of medical care are encouraged to visit their in-network provider. Texas Tech Health plans to open a student clinic by May 2025.
Disability Insurance
As part of your required fees, the school provides long term disability insurance. If a medical condition arises that may cause you to be disabled. Please contact the Office of Student Services and Student Engagement to file for the disability under this plan.
This fee provides funds which cover the actual cost of providing long term disability insurance. For more information, please contact Office of Student Services and Student Engagement.
Student Counseling Services
TTUHSCEP offers counseling services to support student well-being. These services are funded through the Student Services Fee and Student Medical Fee and are designed to promote wellness by empowering students to proactively address personal challenges, helping to prevent potential academic and professional setbacks.
Students have access to both on-campus counseling at the Student Support Center and off-campus counseling through third-party providers. Regardless of where services are received, all counseling is strictly confidential. TTUHSCEP and its individual schools do not receive any information regarding a student’s use of mental health services.
Student Services and Student Engagement can refer students for the following services:
- On campus counseling - 915-215-TALK - no session limit
- 24-hour crisis hotline
- Off Campus Third Party Providers - TTUHSC El Paso enrolled student may contact the following providers for up to 8 free sessions per academic year (Sep-Aug) by providing student ID card
- Community Counseling Resources (not affiliated with TTUHSC El Paso) available with private insurance or self-pay.
Offices are located throughout the El Paso community. A list of providers and further information can be found on the Student Services and Student Engagement website.
The Woody L. Hunt School of Dental Medicine (WLHSDM), in collaboration with the Office of Student Services and Student Engagement (SSSE), is committed to supporting students’ mental health. The SSSE offers each student up to eight free counseling sessions per academic year. Additional sessions may be arranged based on individual needs. All sessions remain strictly confidential.
In addition to these services, the SSSE operates a Student Support Center, staffed by professional counselors available Monday through Friday, from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. These sessions are not limited in number and may continue as long as the counselor determines they are necessary.
Immunization Guidelines
Based on State and University requirements, all students should be immunized against a number of infectious diseases for their own safety as well as the safety of others. All WLHSDM students must be compliant with the school’s immunization requirements prior to the first day of orientation or the first day of class in each semester, noncompliance can result in a professionalism event card or removal from clinical duties. See https://elpaso.ttuhsc.edu/occupationalhealth/immunizations.aspx for more information.
To reduce the risk of transmission, the following vaccines are required prior to the first day of orientation or the first day of class in each semester. :
- Tetanus/Diphtheria/Pertussis: Primary series of Tetanus immunizations, plus one dose of Tdap within ten (10) years of matriculation. (Tdap) should be administered if it has been 2 years since the last Td booster.)
- Measles (Rubeola): Proof of immunity determined by serologic titer.
- Rubella (German Measles): Proof of immunity determined by serologic titer.
- Mumps: Proof of immunity determined by serologic titer
- Varicella (Chicken Pox): Proof of immunity determined by serologic titer.
- Hepatitis B: Series of three (3) and serologic proof of immunity. The third dose must be received no later than December 1 of the entering semester. If a student does not develop immunity after the initial series, a second series and re-titer will be required as recommended by the CDC.
- Annual Flu vaccine: given in the fall (covered by immunization fee). If you decline, you must wear a mask during the flu season during ALL patient encounters
- Meningococcal: Proof of immunization within the past five years
All student immunization records are kept on file within the TTUHSCEP Office of Occupational Health. Any updates to the student immunization record can be made directly with them with written documentation. For more information, please visit https://elpaso.ttuhsc.edu/occupationalhealth/immunizations.aspx
Non-compliance is considered a professionalism violation. Students who fail to submit proof of immunizations by the posted deadlines will not be permitted to begin or continue didactics, or clinical duties.
Tuberculosis Surveillance
All students who attend school at TTUHSCEP, with the exception of students identified as having no direct patient care, are required to have documentation of a TB skin test (TST) having been performed within the last 12 months, regardless of a history of BCG vaccine. See Attachment HSCEP OP 75.11. If you have any questions, please contact Occupational Health at (915) 215-4429.
Exposure Events
Students who have an “exposure event” to human blood or body fluid will report the exposure to their supervisor immediately and receive same day screening and blood testing, please see the Occupational Health website. The patient who is the source of the exposure will also be tested. Follow up blood tests are done to check for possible disease transmission. Medications may need to be taken in some cases. The students’ health insurance will be billed. If the insurance does not cover these costs Student Affairs will be contacted. You will receive further orientation to the pertinent policy at orientation and periodically thereafter.
Drug Screening
Drug screening may be required at any time, depending upon the program and/or the requirements of the affiliated institution. See HSCEP OP 77.15.
If there is a concern regarding a student’s substance abuse issue, the notice of a student’s positive drug screen will be sent to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs, who will forward it to the Professionalism committee for evaluation. The student in question will not be eligible to participate in clinical activities until the issue has been addressed. A student may request re-testing of his/her original sample within five (5) days of being notified of a positive result by contacting the laboratory directly. The student is responsible for the cost of this re-testing.
COVID-19
TTUHSCEP El Paso guidelines:
The COVID Response Team created during the pandemic will cease to exist as of January 1, 2024. The Office of Occupational Health will remain available for consultation by supervisors.
These instructions are intended for the use of units’ supervisors when employees or students report exposure to, symptoms consistent with, or testing for COVID-19.
These apply to all Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso employees, students, and approved visitors.
Reporting requirements to the Office of Student Affairs via Maxient:
- Those experiencing COVID-19 symptoms (fever, cough, shortness of breath, chills, sore throat, headache, body aches, new loss of taste or smell, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, nasal congestion or runny nose).
- Those who had a high-risk exposure (less than 6 feet distance, more than 10 minutes, no masks on either) to an individual with known COVID-19 with testing or onset within the last 10 days.
- Those testing positive for COVID even without symptoms or exposure.
Instructions for high-risk exposure:
- If symptoms present within 10 days following exposure, see instructions for symptoms.
- If no symptoms, may continue to come to school and wear a mask and monitor symptoms for 10 days after exposure, with the last day of exposure counted as day zero.
- Test on the 5th day of exposure (with the last day of exposure counted as day zero) and submit results to the Office of Student Affairs.
- Negative test on day 5: continue to school with a mask and monitor for symptoms until day 10.
- Positive test on day 5: isolate at home, see return to school after infection.
Instructions for symptoms:
Anyone with even mild symptoms of COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status, should receive a viral test (either nucleic acid amplification -“PCR”- or antigen test - Home Test) for SARS-CoV-2 as soon as possible and isolate at home until the test result is available.
- If using PCR, a single negative test is sufficient.
- If using a Home test, a negative result should be confirmed by either a negative PCR or a second negative Home test taken 48 hours after the first negative test.
- COVID test negative: may return to school the next day (with a mask for 10 days) if the following are met:
- 24 hours have passed since the last fever without the use of fever-reducing medications.
- Symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath) have improved.
- COVID test Positive: isolate at home and see return to school after infection.
Return to school after infection (positive test):
- Students should not return to school until they can show valid documentation of a negative COVID test.
- Students may not return to the campus to take exams, attend class, or see patients until they can show valid documentation of a negative COVID test.
Failure to follow this protocol will be reported as a violation of professionalism to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs.
*Reference: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Interim Guidance for Managing Healthcare Personnel with SARS-CoV-2 Infection or Exposure to SARS-CoV-2
For more information regarding COVID-19 along with requirements for the Texas Tech Health El Paso campus and students, please visit:
https://ttuhscep.edu/respiratory-return-to-work-instructions.aspx
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