Students brush up on dentistry in volunteer program

The lobby of the UCLA School of Dentistry was filled with
anxious patients from many backgrounds, some elderly, some young
and most just waiting for their turn to see the dentist. And in the
unease of waiting to have a filling checked or cleaning performed,
some student volunteers helped add comfort to a tense
situation.

These students are part of the UCLA School of Dentistry General
Clinic Volunteer Program, which is designed to provide
undergraduate students with a chance to learn more about dentistry
by volunteering in a dental school environment.

Stephanie Robinson, patient relations manager of the UCLA School
of Dentistry General Clinic, emphasized the qualities of the
program that allow students to explore the realm of dentistry.

“The goal of the program is to introduce undergraduate
students to the field of dentistry by providing experience in the
realities of dental practice in an educational setting, including
the responsibilities of the student dentist,” Robinson
said.

Patient intake is just one aspect of the volunteer program.
Others help introduce students to patient care and some of the
responsibilities they may face as a dental student.

Hana Kim, a third-year psychobiology student who is currently
involved with the program, outlined the importance of the
program’s ability to focus on multiple aspects of
dentistry.

“The program is able to show you the whole picture of
dentistry, not just one section,” Kim said.

The volunteer program offers a wide array of areas in which
students can participate and thus provides a more complete view of
what dentistry actually entails. These areas include patient
intake, billing, teaching labs, central services and other special
projects from the office of the general clinic director.

The students rotate in all of the different areas of the
program. Volunteers gain knowledge in all aspects concerning
dentistry and the field in general.

In patient intake, volunteers are able to work with patients and
take on numerous tasks, such as filing, computer data entry and
observation of treatment planning.

Tran To, a fourth-year biology student currently in the program,
said students are able to learn to empathize with patients and
learn from their complaints, which helps students acquire skills
necessary as a dental student or dentist.

“You are able to develop interpersonal skills by working
with the patients. … You are able to interact with patients,
learn their needs,” To said.

Students are also able to work on dummies and simulate
procedures that might be performed on patients.

Volunteers further gain experience from the Central Services
area of the program. Here, volunteers are able to sterilize
instruments, check out supplies to student dentists, or observe
treatments.

Elham Mahdavi-Elizadi, a fourth-year anthropology student who
completed the program and plans to apply to dental school, believed
it was important to be able to participate in the many different
aspects of dentistry.

“I am happy I learned a lot of useful information as far
as watching and seeing how everything works. It is not like going
and visiting a dentist. … You really have to be able to
communicate with patients and you learn different things,”
Mahdavi-Elizadi said.

Though students are not actually performing dental operations,
one of the important aspects of the program is that it allows
students to gain experience in a dental environment and learn what
dental school may be like.

Wes Cardall, a second-year dentistry student, highlighted the
importance of being able to work in such an environment.

“It gave me a really good idea about how dental school is.
The program also gave me an idea of how the UCLA School of
Dentistry would be and what to expect as a dental student,”
Cardall said.

When he was in the program, Cardall said he was able to learn
more about how dental school is run, gained contacts with other
dental students and faculty, and even made a very good friendship
in the process.

Robinson said the program enables students to confirm
they’ve made the right career choice.

“Volunteers are benefited by being given a chance to
confirm that they really want to attend dental school and pursue a
career in dentistry. Volunteers are also acquainted with the
behind-the-scenes aspect of a dental practice by participating in
the various rotations,” Robinson said.