Call it EDOC-plus.
For years, the Emergency Dental Outreach Clinic, held twice a month at the Prince George Native Friendship Centre, has been providing treatment to low-income residents in need of relief from aching teeth.
But for help with anything much beyond basic extractions, they would have to look elsewhere or simply live with what they have - until this past fall, that is, when they began to be referred to the College of New Caledonia dental studies program.
With the help of local dentists and with instructors keeping an eye on things, students in the program have been working on what instructor Cyndi Lewis calls "restorative services" from fillings to root canals - the types of things EDOC volunteers often have no time to provide due to the lineup of patients.
For students like Andrea Nelson, it provides the practical experience she would not get practicing on a mannequin.
"It's different, it's having that person-to-person interaction and figuring yourself out around a real human mouth," Nelson said. "Because all of the dummies, they have very standard human mouths - they have perfect teeth and perfect, open contacts and they're easy to work on,"
Nelson said. Patients can run the gamut - from the homeless to the working poor and the their families to seniors whose dental plans have lapsed upon retirement - and for most it's a chance to get some work done without jeopardizing their bank accounts.
There are drawbacks. Appointments typically take longer because the instructors need to check the students' work as they go.
But for some, like Linda Allen, it's a way to get work done without having to deal with her nervousness around dentists.
"I'm not paranoid of it, it's just that I get tense and it's one of those things you do because you have to," she said. "And the first appointment I had, I think was a three-hour appointment and I was just reading my book in between and it was just fabulous. I thought 'hey, this is pretty relaxing.'"
Lewis said the program is always looking for more patients and they don't have to go through EDOC to become one. Those interested can inquire at the front desk at the CNC dental building - ask for the patient services coordinator.
"They can have a screening done with a local dentist and a dental hygienist for what services they'll need and then they will be assigned to a student and the student will call them and book them for appointments," Lewis said.
