In exciting news, the University of Alberta has announced that a new elective for its dentistry courses will soon commence. The elective gives students a chance to gain experience in dental clinics across Alberta, providing them with valuable knowledge and exposure to real life situations. The hope is that both students and the wider healthcare system will benefit from the elective.
The University of Alberta has announced the creation of a new elective for its Dentistry courses – which will provide students with valuable in-person experience.
This exciting announcement will result in dental students getting strong exposure to real life situations, while learning from dental professionals. It will also benefit the wider public.
About the elective
The University of Alberta have announced that the course will run for two weeks [1]. It has the name of Advance Elective Experiences, with the code DDS 542 [1].
The elective will be open to fourth-year students on the Dentistry program. They will have the chance to visit community dental clinics. Therefore, this will allow the students to see the various treatments and different approaches adopted by different dental clinic.
The students will be placed across Alberta. For example, some students will study their elective at a Calgary dental clinic, while others will attend an Edmonton dental clinic.
What benefits will the elective have?
There are numerous benefits, both to the wider healthcare community and the students themselves. The students will get valuable experience, and the community will contribute to the development of more dental professionals – something that is badly needed!
Dr. Suzy Depledge works in the University of Alberta’s Dentistry department as its Care Director. She led the development of the elective, and has commented on it [1].
Depledge has said that the course will enable the students to be “ready for private practice by the time they’re in fourth year” [1]. Moreover, “it gives students the opportunity to explore what the direction of their career path might be” [1].
Depledge continued by saying that this elective represents a “unique learning opportunity” for students [1]. Furthermore, she says that past students have gone “to pediatric dentist offices, or an oral surgery practice” – which helps students to see if there is a specific area they would like to specialize in [1].
These visits have been completely optional in the past, and often hard to seek for the students due to low awareness. However, these community visits have now become a formal elective.
Depledge has said that the students receive mentorship, which gives them a chance to reflect on which career they want, and give them a chance to identify the skills they need to develop [1].
An example case
The Dentistry department have been building relationships with local community clinics, ready for the rollout of the elective. There have already been some successful partnerships.
Dr. Deb Crowfoot is a dentist in Alberta. Crowfoot has had students working with him before. He has said that the experience is very useful, saying that the students “get to see how it’s done in the real world”, while seeing “a wide variety of dentistry” [1].
One of the students who worked with Crowfoot, Ed Gu, remarked that it was “especially interesting to have an opportunity to see how a dental clinic” works – with Gu visiting a First Nations community, offering an experience that many don’t get [1].
Another student, James Kwan, said that his visit “completely re-shaped my future plans and goals” – which summarizes the impact these visits can have [1].
The future
With the elective upcoming, you might just find that at your next appointment, that you will see a new face!
These students are the future of dentistry, so playing a part in their development will be very valuable to the future of healthcare in Alberta.
Fourth-year students at the University will have the opportunity to complete the elective right away. There will be 52 students taking part in the elective [1].
Thinking points…
1) The creation of this elective is very exciting! There is a big demand for dental services across Alberta. But it is also very important to be part of this demand! Therefore, remember to attend your local dental clinic for check-ups and any subsequent treatment. You could book now – you may even see a student learning from your dentist!
2) Electives and programs like this are crucial in helping with the development of dental professionals for the future. For example, here at our Calgary Dental Clinic Savanna Dental, our staff have all gone through extensive training. This training helps them to look after the oral health needs of our patients. We would love you to come and visit us, see more about us on our homepage https://savannadentalclinic.ca!
What we offer at Savanna Dental
Savanna Dental is a Calgary dental clinic that provide its patients with a range of treatment options and advice aimed at improving oral health.
It is crucial to brush your teeth at least twice a day and to floss regularly. Moreover, eating healthily and trying to avoid sugary foods and drink is important.
We advise our patients to attend our Calgary-based dental clinic twice a year for a regular dental check-up. When problems are detected, we have many treatments available. For instance, these include cavity fillings and root canals.
Here at Savanna Dental, we also have some cosmetic treatments available! These include dental implants, tooth whitening and Invisalign™! Many people find that these treatments have a positive impact on their appearance, confidence and self-esteem.
In addition, all of our services at our Calgary dental clinic Savanna Dental are in line with the Alberta Dental Fee Guide.
We would love you to visit our Savanna Dental clinic in Calgary! You can find out more about us by visiting our website https://savannadentalclinic.ca.
References
[1] University of Alberta. (2023). New dentistry elective lets students explore career options in the dental community. Available: https://www.ualberta.ca/school-of-dentistry/about-us/dentistrynews/2023/01/new-dentistry-elective-lets-students-explore-career-options-in-the-dental-community.html. Last accessed: 27th January 2023.
