New Student Dental Clinics Open In Postle Hall Expansion
On August 24, 2021, the College of Dentistry’s new student dental clinics officially opened to patients in the Postle Hall expansion. After months of planning and training, students, staff, and faculty were excited as they greeted patients on opening day.
“It’s been great being able to provide dental services to patients in our stunning dental clinics,” senior dental hygiene student Katie Fisher said. “Using up-to-date technology and new equipment makes our job as providers more effective and efficient. My patients have made comments on how sharp looking and welcoming the new clinics are.”
Organized into eight small-group practices, the new dental clinics are designed to create an educational experience for dental and dental hygiene students using an integrated healthcare delivery model.
“The new student dental clinics have cultivated an environment where my classmates and I can better apply the clinical skills we’ve been taught over the past two years, while continuing to learn and grow from our faculty, mentors, and peers,” third-year dental student Emma Bockrath said. “Not only has the new clinic made our transition from our pre-clinical courses easier and more exciting, but it has also made our patients’ experiences more comfortable by setting them up to receive optimal dental care.”
Fourth-year dental student Michael Marino shared his fellow students’ enthusiasm. “Working in the new clinics has been wonderful! It stands as a reminder to me and my patients of Ohio State’s commitment to delivering quality care.”
Commenting on the successful opening, Dr. Fonda Robinson, associate dean for Clinic Administration and Patient Care, said, “The new clinics have been positively received by our patients and our students, staff, and faculty. This transition should support an array of benefits by enhancing the treatment-related experiences we provide for patients and improving our students’ learning experiences. It will also set the stage for the continued expansion of our dental technologies.”
Dean Carroll Ann Trotman attended the clinics’ opening, and she voiced her appreciation for the successful transition. “It is always quite an undertaking when a clinical operation is moved from one location to another, but this transition from the existing Postle Hall to the new facility has been conducted seamlessly.” She added, “Our new student clinics are a point of pride, and they will bolster our efforts to serve as a statewide resource for patients, while we continue to address Ohioans’ evolving oral healthcare needs.”