The Prince George Emergency Dental Outreach Clinic (EDOC) can service up to 50 people lined up a given day to provide services to those on a low-income.
In an effort to help students and reach out to more residents who struggle with keeping up with oral care, EDOC is partnering with the College of New Caledonia by creating a Collaborative Care Clinic within the Dental Studies classroom.
The volunteer-based clinic has been running since the Fall when the semester began for more than 20 students currently enrolled in the program like Andrea Nelson, who is looking forward to gaining more hands-on experience to use beyond graduation.
“That way, we’re a little bit more prepared when we’re firing off into the real world and getting right in there,” she said when asked by PrinceGeorgeMatters about what the new partnership means to her as she works towards a dental assistant certification this year.
“It takes us to a whole new level because we have real patients and we’re, you know, dealing with their medical histories and we’re actually dealing with the full real deal, having a patient sitting in the chair rather than having one of the dummies. It’s different, having that person-on-person interaction too and having to kind of figure yourself out around a human mouth. The dummies have very standard mouths, they all have perfect teeth, they have perfect open contacts, they don’t bite you, they don’t slobber, so in this way. It’s very different; the experience is super valuable.”
EDOC’s services runs through the Prince George Native Friendship Centre, and has been open to marginalized members of the community.
Now, with the addition of a second clinic to visit, this expands residents’ access to services like broken teeth repair, root canals and extractions.
“The patients we’re seeing in this Collaborative Care Clinic, right now, they’re actually patients of record here at the Dental Studies clinic,” explains CNC Dental Studies Instructor Cynthia Lewis.
“Some of them have been in treatment with dental hygiene students and it’s identified that they need some restorative work and they don’t have access to those services or the funds needed to pay for those services at a local office. So they are being provided here.”
The Dental Studies program is only 10 months, so there may not be enough time to get real-world experience.
With the Collaborative Care Clinic now open twice a month, students can polish off their skills.
“It’s such an amazing opportunity for the students to get hands-on work that they go multiple times.” Lewis added.
“Give the students a chance to work with a community dentist and provide these services to people who may not otherwise be able to access those services.”
If this is something that works for you and your financial situation, the school invites everyone to come to the Dental Studies office, speak with a representative and work out a system that benefits your oral health and your wallet.
For patient Linda Allen, who’s been coming to CNC for two semesters, her situation became a no-brainer in becoming a volunteer for students.
“I don’t like going to the dentist,” she said hesitantly ahead of receiving a free filling today (Feb. 7).
“I’m not paranoid of it, but I get tense because it’s just one of those things you have to do. The first appointment I had was a three-hour appointment and I was just reading my book in between and it was fabulous. I thought ‘Hey, this is pretty relaxing.’ I love the students, I love their teaching.”
She says the whole experience keeps her coming back and enjoys watching the students succeed in their studies.
The Collaborative Care Clinic will be open at CNC twice a month.
