The Georgian College Oral Health Dental Clinic opened wide this week to show off the services it offers to the public.
The student-led clinic at the Barrie campus offers oral health assessments, X-rays, teeth cleaning and preventive services as pupils learn and hone their skills.
Marie Comeau, of Barrie, was at the clinic on Monday getting dentures and says she appreciates the school’s services.
“It got me the teeth that I needed, because I didn’t have any teeth on the one side or on the top,” she told BarrieToday.
Comeau saw an advertisement on Kijiji asking for people in need of dentures, either full or partial.
“I had been thinking about it for a long, long time. I needed partial dentures, top and bottom, so I called and here we are,” she said.
“The quality is fantastic. They do one step at a time and it takes a bit longer, but it’s OK because you end up with dentures,” Comeau said with a bright new smile.
The Georgian College students, alongside a team of dental experts, do the work, so clients are helping students get important, hands-on experience to prepare them for the workforce.
Ashlee Lockyer, a student in the denturism program since 2019 and who hails from Maple, says she loves the large, bright learning space available to her and the other students.
“I’m also a dental assistant and being able to provide denture replacements for the elderly means so much to me in changing their confidence and putting on their smile, and being able to allow them to get out and not have any barriers,” she said.
Margaret Pratt, also of Barrie, was at the college getting a partial replacement of her upper teeth. She has also worn a partial for more than 50 years.
“This place is absolutely amazing,” she said. “I don’t think the public is as aware of it as they could be, because they sometimes have trouble getting enough people for their students.”
Pratt has three grandchildren who are of the age of secondary and post-secondary school.
“The ability to have co-op placements is essential for hands-on programs,” she added.
Students are relied on heavily to recruit their own clients.
“I wish we didn’t have to do that, because they have a lot on their plates already with learning,” Lisa Buchanan, director of clinics and placements with the college, said.
“It’s also good practice for them, too, because they are going to be practitioners one day, so it’s good for them to understand how to recruit clients and how to speak to denture clients,” she added, noting word-of-mouth is still the best way to find clients.
Buchanan says the denture clinic sees about 200 to 250 clients per week through their 14-week semester.
A number of their dental clients are on disability benefits, such as the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP).
“Some people don’t qualify for the entire amount for the Canadian Dental Care Plan, depending on their income, and it’s still very expensive to get a denture made, so we kind of fill that gap for what people need,” Buchanan said.
For more information on the college clinic’s services, visit their website.
