Dozens of dental assistants and hygienist students from Saskatchewan Polytechnic applied their in-class learning onto about 200 people for free on Saturday.
The institution partnered with Regina Food Bank and Regina Open Door Society for their 7th annual Dental Day and Dental Hygiene Day. The students assisted dentists, dental assistants and hygienists with services including check-ups, cleaning, root canals and extractions to people in need of dental care.
Soon-to-be graduate Jada Guest was one of the students who helped organize the event.
"In clinic usually we have so much time with our patients and today we don’t really have time like that, so that’ll be like the real world, where we would be working really fast and working really hard," Guest said.
Katie Atherton, who worked alongside dental experts at the event, said oral health can be overlooked at times.
"Oral health is actually a big issue and it’s not looked at as a big issue… oral health is linked to overall health and so it’s really important to keep the mouth healthy. It shouldn’t just be the people who are wealthier and richer being able to have that treatment," she said.
Atherton also said Saturday’s experience was great practice for students.
"I think it’s a really good experience for the hygienist and also for the dentist because they don’t normally get to see in most cases,” she said.
Based on a report by CTV's Madina Azizi.
