Post from Sarah...

Visiting the schools was eye-opening. I was impressed with the oral health knowledge of the children thanks to the work of previous field schools. It was also encouraging to witness the children's excitement upon our arrival at the schools where we were greeted with hugs and smiles. Although the children were able to answer oral health questions and were eager to participate in toothbrushing workshops, unfortunately, the presence of dental caries persists. This reinforces the concept that a high level of oral health knowledge is not sufficient in eliminating or preventing oral health disparities.
This experience amplified the role of diet in the caries disease process. The continued presence of Early Childhood Caries and dental caries is likely to be associated with the availability of cariogenicfoods. At the primary school we observed children purchasing various cariogenic snacks, (both traditional and North American foods) from a kiosk on the school ground. In the future, it would be important to target the snacks available to children in the schools in hopes of decreasing the prevalence of dental caries.

Wow- what an amazing experience. Working at Entreamigos was at times very challenging: my ergonomics were compromised and equipment, such as an ultrasonic and suction, were sometimes needed more by other students. Other than the gratefulness of my clients upon completion of dental hygiene therapy, my most memorable experience was on the very last day at Entreamigos. After working primarily with clients exhibiting moderate to severe periodontitis I feel that I have gained a great deal of invaluable clinical experience. On our final clinic day I was assigned a client of lighter classification which allowed me to truly demonstrate my improvements in detection, debridement and time-management. Thanks to this experience I now know that I am capable of being an effective and efficient dental hygienist and I will continue to believe in my abilities