The COVID-19 pandemic presented challenges across many aspects of the dental profession, and dental education has been no exception.
Given a shortage of dental assistants at the onset of the pandemic, the School of Dentistry at the University of Alberta was faced with a problem: how to implement enhanced infection prevention protocols and support their students in providing patient care.
Their solution? To recruit junior dental students as part of the clinical team and train them in providing chairside assistance to third- and fourth-year students.
In this video, Dr. Anthea Senior, Associate Professor of Radiology at the School of Dentistry, University of Alberta, reflects on this unexpected co-learning experience and highlights some of the silver linings for students, patients, and for dental education.
“This experience has made us more aware that when faculty and staff work together and lean on each other to problem solve, some of these silver linings can emerge that not only help us survive the crisis in front of us but also allow us to thrive.”
Dr. Anthea Senior
HELPFUL LINKS
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- Co-learning Integrated into Dentistry Curriculum
- CDA News Release: CDA Addresses HUMA Committee on Dental Assistants Labour Shortage in Canada
- CDA Advocacy Initiatives: Dental Assisting Workforce Challenges
- CDA Oasis Discussion: Maximizing Staff Retention and Recruitment in the Office
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