“Allow the way to your great work to be guided by your service to others.” – Mollie Marti

On May 27 and 28, Durham College (DC) Dental Hygiene students who are in their fifth semester gained on-the-job experience while putting their skills to work for a worthy cause by providing dental hygiene care to clients of Health Mission Outreach in Brampton.

Thirty-six students, as well as seven program graduates and four faculty members, made a significant impact on the not-for-profits’ patrons, treating over 100 people who otherwise would not have had access to basic dental care.

A culmination of their program studies, the opportunity for the students to serve some of the community’s most vulnerable members proved to be equal parts challenging and rewarding. With faculty guidance, the students were able to practise many of their dental hygiene skills while providing assessments, periodontal debridement, fluoride treatments and oral hygiene instructions.

Previous to their work with Health Mission Outreach, the students had gained experience treating clients through DC’s Dental Hygiene Clinic, field placements and additional volunteer work, including the provision of education and dental screenings at The Refuge youth shelter in Oshawa.

Working with vulnerable populations helps students to develop greater capacity for bringing empathy and compassion to their dental hygiene practice, a skill in itself that is vital to their success and a hallmark of DC’s Dental Hygiene program.