Patient commends students from U of A Hospital Dental Clinic

Genevieve Constantin had a rough entry into 2020. As mother of two boys and assistant or administration at three different jobs, she understands the need for a healthy mouth.

It is not very often that I feel that a letter of recognition needs to be written, especially after having received a dental service. But after the treatment I received on Friday night and Sunday morning at the University of Alberta Hospital Dental Clinic, these two students and their supervisor must be commended for their impeccable service. I am BEYOND grateful for everything they did for me. I realize that their task is to investigate and solve dental problems, but after the roller coaster I had been on, they went above and beyond. These amazing professionals have no idea how much they helped me.

The pain began on December 29th. It was later discovered that something from the trays inserted to take impressions for night guards 10 days earlier was lodged deep in her pockets, having caused osteonecrosis of the jaw. The bone became exposed and infected and because the gums were so swollen, the bone was not visible.

I kept hoping it would go away, but it didn't. I booked with my dental office for January 2nd. The dentist I saw said it looked like I had bitten the back of my mouth. He sent me home with mouthwash and said it if wasn't better in two weeks I would be referred to an oral pathologist.

By the weekend I was bedridden and on an unhealthy dose of pain medication. The pain was unbearable. I was so fatigued I could barely get out of bed. I couldn't do anything for my kids. I couldn't make dinner. I couldn't eat or drink without pain. And I was starting to feel very hopeless.

After two weeks of pain, she was in rough shape. By January 10th, she had seen her own dentist, another associate in her dentist's office and had resorted to calling her medical doctor, who advised her to go to the U of A Hospital Dental Clinic, which has an evening and weekend emergency service.

Mark [Spackman, DDS 2020] was so determined to find out what was wrong and bless him for that. Mackenzie [Sturdy, DH 2021] was so incredibly sweet and gentle. Even while putting in three rounds of freezing, I barely felt anything and she was so calming. She cleaned the infected area as carefully as she could. Dr. Jeremy Brandelli [GPR] who oversaw everything was equally as amazing and went in after Mackenzie had finished to ensure everything that needed to come out did.

I cried when I left because I felt such a sense of relief that someone finally knew what they were doing and the problem was being treated and followed up on. I left there Friday night with a new sense of hope that they figured this all out. Saturday I woke up exhausted... but for the first time in two weeks, the pain was subsiding. I honestly couldn't believe it.

Mackenzie Sturdy was glad she she could help. As a third-year dental hygiene student, it was her first rotation at the hospital clinic. She says, "I was a little nervous going in. I know I've learned the skills and been tested on all of it, but doing it for someone who really needs it, when it really matters, is something different."

She says so much of patient care is confidence. "Patients need to trust you, so you need to be confident for them. Genevieve trusted me and the other students above me knew I could do my part, which increased my trust in myself."

Dental hygiene and dentistry students work at the Kaye Edmonton Clinic at the School of Dentistry Oral Health Clinic for the practical side of their education. But Sturdy says that the hospital clinic was different for her. "I got to experience a true interdisciplinary environment, which is more like what I'll be doing when I graduate, and I got to experience different problems than what I usually work with at the Kaye."

Constantin closed her message with gratitude and best wishes for all involved.

So from the bottom of my heart, these three individuals have my sincerest gratitude. Without them, I wouldn't be typing this email and eating my first non-soup meal. You solved a mystery that no other dentist was able to. It just warms my heart to know that there are people that will go the extra mile for their patients.

I hope for nothing but the best for everyone and that their careers be nothing but amazing and successful. All the best for them and good luck on their final exams! These two students will definitely excel wherever they go.