Dental Camp

We had the chance to volunteer at the Dental Camp at the EWU Hygiene clinic last week. It is an opportunity for high school kids to come spend a few hours in the clinic and learn what dentists do. The students get to do a lot of hands on activities - We helped them make impressions on dentiforms (a fake set of teeth) and pour cast models of the impressions. They also got the opportunity to practice their waxing skills and fill a cavity preparation with composite filling material.

One of the groups that we mentored was part of a program called GEAR-UP. It is a federally funded program that helps first generation bound college students get ready for college and expose them to many different career options. I think it is a pretty cool program and I'm glad they chose the dental profession to be part of the experience.

I really enjoyed talking to the students about dentistry. I enjoyed encouraging them in their projects and encouraging them in pursing dentistry related careers. I know that at their age, this experience isn't going to determine the outcome of their course of study or the career path they will choose. But hopefully, sometime in the future, they will remember that they were really good at waxing teeth, or that they poured up a flawless study cast and those memories will lead to a more thorough investigation to what dentistry is all about.

Here are some pics -




This is Dr. Gandara. She is the organizer and coordinator of the event. I have been very impressed with Dr. Gandara. She is a very genuine person and really cares about helping others. That kind of attitude toward dentistry is very contagious.