Class of 2023 Reflections on the OHIO Project
OHIO Project students from the dental Class of 2023 were asked to describe a person (dentist, staff, patient) they met in one of our community sites. This is what they said:
Dr. Hagy was the practice owner and OHIO Project Admin for the dental students. Dr. Hagy is a god send and an amazing teacher. I have learned so much from that man. I have learned things about digital dentistry, aspects of owning/managing a practice, how to work with EFDAs, how to approach patients with very fragile teeth, how to effectively diagnose and develop treatment plans efficiently. Dr. Hagy’s attitude was fantastic toward his patient population and since New Lexington is such a small town, it was brilliant to see how close his relationship with all of his patients. He is truly beloved in the community, and it was a pleasure to shadow him at work when I did not have a patient of my own. Their attitude towards the project was very positive because he was a natural teacher, and it was nice to see a practicing dentist take the time out of their busy schedule in order to teach the future dentists of Ohio.
Dr. Canfield had a very realistic attitude toward the patient population. He emphasized how important it was to give proper dental care to all aspects of the population. His attitude toward OHIO Project was very positive and encouraging to help. I believe he felt this way because he understands the importance of learning and also the importance of caring for his patient population.
Dr. Fourman was the first person I met at Darke County Family Health. His attitude toward the patient population was one of genuine compassion towards a needy community. After being in private practice for so many years, he had become aware of just how many people needed treatment but had no access to it. He saw a city in deep need of a community dental facility and worked diligently toward making it a reality.
One of the doctors I met at CHS in Fremont was Dr. Levine. Dr. Levine was very charismatic and loved to teach. She was very patient with the patient population and went out of her way to educate the patients and provide them with care. She would perform “heroic dentistry” to do what she could to save a patient’s tooth and would often stay after hours to accommodate patients in pain. Dr. Levine took her time to explain procedures to me that I was unfamiliar with. I believe that the doctor felt she could best serve society by providing care to rural populations.
I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Beetstra. He was very passionate about the special needs population. He did a great job helping students navigate treating the patients within this population and had good discussions about potential situations we might encounter. I think he has a love for holistically treating patients.
While in Fremont I was able to work with a dentist who was compassionate to the condition of patients and tried to link up numerous resources to deliver the best care. She did not view the population as “underserved,” meaning that she treated them like she would treat a patient who could pay thousands of dollars for their care. The most admirable attribute she displayed was care for the patient as an entire person, demonstrated by her memory of each patient and their story.
Dr Falcone was incredibly considerate to the underserved population that is present in this area. His attitude was that he was excited to be working with students, and he guided them with kindness and patience. I believe he feels this way because he remembered what it was like to be a dental student.
The dentist at Homegrown Smiles, Dr. Annie Courtemanche, is very dedicated to the patients. Her mindset is to treat the issues they have and to enhance their dental health. I believe she is just a compassionate person and wants to give the best care to whoever comes through the door.
The dentists in Fremont Community Health Services have shown that they are very dedicated to their patients and public health. I'll focus on one, but I've seen similar characteristics from each of the dentists here. This particular dentist is very kind and understanding to patients and to me. She has been encouraging about my abilities and is happy to give me advice and feedback where needed. I have only seen her treating people well and she is genuinely happy to be part of their lives. Her actions towards me have demonstrated that she really enjoys having students here for the OHIO Project. I believe she feels this way because she enjoys the impact she can have on the development of future dentists. My own assumption is that being a dentist supervising student dentists is not an easy job. I know she could step in and do what I'm doing in 1/3 of the time, but she has the patience to give me time to learn and sees value in giving us that experience.
Dr. Vic at Miami County was great. He really seemed to care about all of his patients and his staff. I think his passion for the project stemmed from his love for his community and wanting to provide patients from all backgrounds the treatment that they require.
Dr. Annie Courtemanche at Homegrown Smiles is willing to help anyone, and she is awesome with children who in a lot of situations need her help but may not want it. She is so good at calming the kids down and taking their mind off of anything that may scare them. I asked her one day if she enjoyed having OHIO Project students or if she felt it just slowed her down. She told me she absolutely loved it because not long ago she was doing the same thing.
One of the dentists at Marietta is a recent graduate of the OSU College of Dentistry. He decided to come to Marietta and work at a Medicaid office because he saw the need for dental services in the population. The doctor treats patients with respect and honesty. He always presents the treatment plan in a way that is easy to explain, but he lets the patient make the ultimate decision. He fully understands where the patient is coming from; therefore, he can easily connect with the patients. He is also very friendly and approachable to the students because he understands the challenges that come with being a student in an unfamiliar place. He gave me a lot of guidance and support while I was in Marietta.
Dr. Diego Solis, who ran the site/office, was one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. He was so friendly and helpful, and clearly loved his job. His attitude towards the patient population was always positive – he enjoyed being able to help and communicate with the patients and the kids, when many others haven’t been able to. I think he felt so joyful because the site allowed him to help out two underserved communities – the Hispanic community and lower-income patients. He definitely loves having OSU students come to help, because it allows him to help even more patients than he could on his own.
Dr. Cook was very understanding with her patients. She was aware of the situations that prevent patients from receiving care and worked towards solutions to these problems—such as being involved in an interdisciplinary approach with mental health services for patients who are limited by severe dental anxiety, as well as working with schools to ensure that the community receives and understands the importance of dental care at an early age.
One of the main Dentists at Family Tree Dental in Marietta was very understanding of the patient population they served and enjoyed helping them. Many of the people served at this clinic did not have the funds set aside to get the most expensive treatments, but the dentist was always looking for ways to provide the best treatment the patient could afford. I think the doctor enjoyed the OHIO Project program because he can spread his passion to upcoming dentists.
Comfort Dental Heath: One of the dentists I worked with was a superstar. She had a great attitude with her patients and knew how to talk to them and approach them. She was able to adapt to each situation and slightly adjusted how she spoke to each one, based off of their interest and literacy in dentistry. Each patient was very appreciative of her explanations and her hard work. She understood them and they felt safe with her.
Dr. Halderman at Family Health of Greenville is a very kind doctor who is passionate about treating patients fairly and teaching student how to be great and compassionate dentists. Dr. Halderman showed a lot of empathy towards the patient population and has been a member of the Greenville FQHC since it was founded. I think Dr. Halderman enjoys solving the problems this patient population experiences. On top of this, he enjoys teaching the next generation of dentists; therefore, I think he really enjoys the OHIO Project.
Dr. Higgins at Mansfield Family Services seemed to really care about his patient base, and he was very eager to let us learn. He put us in challenging positions, but was always there to help us out if we got stuck. I think he acted that way because he remembers being a student and what it was like. He pushed us to be better, and he certainly made me a better dentist.
Dr. Fleming at Lima Community Dental was a phenomenal communicator. He knew how to comfort and connect with patients. His dental work is phenomenal as well. He genuinely cared for his people and always gave patients the best possible work.
Dr. Fleming is the dentist at Lima Community Dental. He is very calm and understanding. He didn’t try to sell the highest price treatment to patients but actually help them in any way possible based on what they could afford. He felt very positive toward the OHIO project. As students, we learn a lot with practice and it is a good way to be in a different environment and learn the practical situations.
Dr. Snyder, from Nelsonville, had a very positive attitude towards his patients. He filled the role of the community health care provider and did his best to help every patient individually. Dr. Snyder had a great attitude about the project as well. As a former Ohio State student, Dr. Snyder realized the importance of access to care. This project was a win-win as patients had the opportunity to be seen in a timely manner and students, like me, had the opportunity to work on skills that are imperative for community dentists to have.
Dr. Hoag was the attending dentist on most of the days that I was assigned to this office. The most outstanding thing was how he communicated with the patients. I liked how he used simplified language while explaining to patients various treatment procedures or while giving post-treatment instructions. He is always cheerful and willing to help. I also like the fact that he refers to us (dental students) as doctors the whole time there. Although it is a simple thing, it helped boost my self-esteem, confidence, and trust among the assistants and patients.
Dr. Hoag was the dentist at the Mansfield location. He was a fantastic member of the team. His attitude towards the population was one of a lot of compassion. He was very good at recognizing when patients were struggling and he always seemed to know exactly what to say. He also was very good about not internalizing it in a way that would personally affect him. He was always so kind and helpful to the patients. I think it brings him satisfaction to see that he’s making a difference in the community.
Continue reading for more student feedback!
Students were asked to summarize at least two important things they will take from participating in the OHIO Project. Here are some of their responses:
- It was great to learn how to diagnose radiographs independently without a crutch and how to effectively work with an assistant. I also want to stress that I learned how to care for very medically compromised patients who do not have access to mainstream healthcare. It was also excellent to be able to use an intraoral scanner and CEREC machine to fabricate crowns.
- One important thing I will take from participating in the OHIO Project is to treat patients with the highest respect no matter their demographic. Rich or poor, they all deserve the best of my ability, treatment, and time. A second important thing I will take from participating in the OHIO Project is to reflect on how lucky I am to have been afforded good health care and education all my life. So many young people have rampant tooth decay mainly due to lack of resources.
- The first thing I learned on the Ohio Project is that we need to view our patients in a holistic manner and treat them accordingly. Each patient presents different needs and has a different background. The second thing I learned is that there are many groups who are in need of dental care. The special needs population is a group that is often neglected and needs more practitioners to treat them. There are many populations that are underserved. As a future provider, I should be aware of how I can help these groups of people.
- I learned that we should make sure office policies are understood clearly by all staff members and to reiterate why they are important. I have been able to see a variety of office efficiencies.
- Two important things I will take away from this experience is: 1) how to communicate effectively to patients, and 2) balancing being confident in your skillset while knowing when to ask for help when you need it. Communication is such an important aspect of dentistry that cannot be taught in dental school. Communicating in ways to make your patient feel comfortable, understood, empathized with, as well as educated is of utmost importance and plays a huge part in a positive patient experience. Being confident is an important aspect of strengthening our skillset and knowledge; however, when over-confident, it can result in maleficence and below the standard of care.
- Being able to hear someone express their gratitude makes all my hard work seem worth it. The OHIO Project has made me want to find a job where I can see patients of all backgrounds, rather than limit myself to one that I am more accustomed to.
- A couple of important things I learned from the OHIO Project were the importance of working with and encouraging your staff. When you show your desire to serve and build up people it rubs off on others and they want to support and help you more. Also, the importance of displaying confidence and a problem-solving attitude to help ease the mind of your patients. They are stepping into an environment where many unknowns may cause an anxious spirit, so working to make them comfortable is key to maintaining trust.
- I have improved my skills massively on the Ohio Project. I love seeing so many patients in the day. I feel that I have learned so much on these rotations and I have be able to practice so many reps of procedures while under some time pressure. The dentists have given me good advice when I need it and have challenged me to try new things or to not avoid old things I should be doing (like reverse vision).
- I met an African American patient at the Mansfield OHIO Project site. When I introduced myself she cried and I immediately understood; but had to be sure, so I asked “are you okay ma’am?” She said, “I am so proud of you” and explained that she had not had an African American dentist since she was young. The patient was in her mid-60s and it was nearly 40 years since she’d seen an African American dentist. I hope that the feeling never leaves me because I know what that meant to her. It was the same feeling I had when I met my dentist, the first African American dentist I had ever met, over 20 years ago. The patient liked that the program created a way for her to see a young African American dentist.
- What I have learned in participating on OHIO Project is that patient interactions sincerely matter in cultivating trust and gaining compliance, and that EFDAs are an exceptional asset to a practice. I observed numerous patient interactions and came to understand the most successful patient-provider relationships were founded on clear, honest communication that established trust.
- The OHIO Project gave me confidence that I can go out after school and be a successful dentist. I gained so much experience from Ohio Project, and it helped prepare me for the real world.
- It is a very good experience to do multiple restorations in a day compared to the few we can do in school each appointment. Also, needing to increase our speed is very important, and the OHIO Project provides the ability to do so. It was also a great opportunity to see how different offices run and how the office culture may vary from office to office. That helped me realize what type of an office setting I would like and helped me conclude that I would like to work in an office with at least one other provider, but preferably more.
- I did not think I originally wanted to work in a Medicaid / under-served population after dental school. However, OHIO Project has really opened my eyes to the opportunities to learn and to work with a patient population very different from myself. I like how relaxed the patients can be and appreciative of the work you are able to do for them. You can really impact a dentition in these types of populations relative to the suburban patients who occasionally have an occlusal filling.
- As dental providers we have the opportunity to shape what a dental experience is for new patients. It is our duty to give children the best experiences we can at the dentist as we are shaping that relationship for the rest of their lives.