JCDA - Canadian Dental Association

––– News & Updates –––
A Clinic Like No Other
In the fall of 2001,
2 students at the
University of
Montreal’s faculty
of dentistry decided
to create a program
that would promote
oral health among
the city’s street
Students at the dental
clinic examining a youth. This population, larger than
Montreal street youth. most people realize, generally has
poor dental hygiene and inadequate
oral health. As part of the students’
directed study, they approached the local community
health centre (CLSC) on Sanguinet Street,
where a medical clinic for street youth was already
established. At the clinic, nurses, doctors and psychologists
work together for the health and welfare
of a client group that doesn’t have access to traditional
dentistry. The 2 students therefore decided
to offer their services to the clinic.
Encouraged by Dr. Denys Ruel, Dr. Daniel
Kandelman, chair of the department of oral health
at the University of Montreal’s faculty of dentistry,
established a partnership with the CLSC des
Faubourgs (which is part of the Jeanne Mance
Centre for Health and Social Services [CSSS]) to
set up a dental clinic that would provide both preventive
and treatment services to street youth.
After the students finished their directed study,
4 of their colleagues decided to continue their
work, but this time by setting up a dental clinic
with 2 relatively functional operatories. They were
eventually able to obtain recurrent funding, and
were joined first by Dr. Martin Chartier then by
Dr. Germain Turgeon. A dental clinic dedicated to
treating Montreal street youth was finally born.
“These four students worked hundreds of
hours making posters to advertise the service, visiting
community organizations, doing work in the
street, locating used equipment, obtaining funding
and starting a clinic with very few resources,” says
Dr. Ruel, lecturer and clinical instructor.
In 2003, the dental clinic won the University of
Montreal’s Forces award, the Government of
Quebec’s Forces Avenir award and the American
Dental Association’s Student Excellence Award. In
2006, the clinic was honoured with CDA’s Oral
Health Promotion Award for its work promoting
oral health.
Almost 20 students from the University of
Montreal’s faculty of dentistry have worked at the
clinic since it was established, and it appears certain
that the torch will continue to be passed to
new students in the coming years. The current
team has seen and treated more than 1,000 young
people. Students are given a unique opportunity to
become acquainted with the management, administration
and organization of a public dental health
project. The dentists involved continue to help the
students promote the clinic and obtain funding.
The clinic receives funding from the University
of Montreal faculty of dentistry, the Jeanne Mance
CSSS, the QDSA (Quebec Dental Surgeons
Association), Quebec’s Department of Health and
Social Services and a number of other foundations.
Finding new sources of funding is a never-ending
job. Used equipment needs regular repairs and
dental supplies run out quickly as the demand for
services is so great.
“Our students are showing more and more
interest in the clinic. Engaging them in a community
activity and having them get to know clientele
that is different from the one found at the university
is an essential part of their academic training,”
says Dr. Ruel.
Adds Dr. Kandelman: “We hope to train dentists
who will be better able to serve poor and marginal
populations. The clinical experience we offer
is unlike the one taught at the faculty, due to the
complexity of the cases, the difficult working conditions,
and the special medical conditions and
high-risk behaviour associated with this client
group.” C
JCDA • www.cda-adc.ca/jcda • May 2006, Vol. 72, No. 4 • 295