A little bit-known however admirable outreach program for dentists, hygienists and dental college students is the St. Francis Mission Amongst The Lakota Dental Clinic in South Dakota. Located simply contained in the western border of the Rosebud Indian Reservation, the clinic presents free dental care to the Lakota individuals. For 9 years, the clinic has been serving these in excessive want of dental care.
Once I began dental faculty on the College at Buffalo, my father and I made a pact that we’d do an outreach journey collectively if we received the chance. My father, Dr. Michael Romano, is a normal dentist in Liverpool, New York, and a 1985 graduate of UBSDM. Towards the tip of my third 12 months, my father learn an article concerning the dental clinic at Rosebud Indian Reservation within the American Dental Affiliation month-to-month newspaper. It appeared like the proper alternative because the clinic is run solely by volunteer dentists throughout the nation.
I introduced the knowledge to my faculty administration. They embraced the chance to ship a bunch of fourth-year college students and granted us monetary assist. Initially of my fourth 12 months, eight college students, my father and Dr. Gambacorta from UB Dental faculty traveled to St. Francis Mission for a week-long journey.
The Lakota individuals have been welcoming and grateful to have us. We labored within the clinic alongside a dental hygienist and assistant who have been native to the realm and knew the group effectively. We noticed sufferers of all ages with numerous complicated dental wants. Since we have been there for less than every week, we needed to establish what was most crucial for every affected person and deal with them as effectively as doable.
This journey gave me a brand new appreciation for what I can do as a normal dentist. It was important to take a big-picture strategy to complicated instances and on the identical appointment deal with these wants. We carried out extractions, restorations, pulpotomies and even biopsied one affected person with a suspicious lesion. This outreach journey emphasised the privilege I’ve as a dentist to considerably impression a group’s healthcare.
Not solely did the Lakota individuals graciously settle for our dental care, additionally they welcomed us into their houses and areas. Our first night time there we attended an out of doors pow wow the place Native People from all around the nation in full native costume gathered and took part in conventional dances and ceremonies. Later within the week, we joined a sweat lodge ceremony on the residence of one of many employees on the clinic. Inside the recent, darkened domed lodge, we sat shut collectively in a circle, listened to singing and prayer, and linked with ancestors. It was a shifting expertise. I felt honored to have been welcomed into that sacred area.
We additionally toured a museum subsequent to the dental clinic crammed with genuine Lakota artwork and historic artifacts. The information taught us concerning the historical past of the Lakota individuals and the encompassing Native American tribes that used to occupy the lands. It was eye-opening to listen to tales that occurred proper on my residence soil that I had by no means discovered about in my years of training. I shall be eternally grateful to the Lakota individuals for welcoming us into their group and sharing their tales.
I’m additionally grateful for everybody who was on this journey with me: my classmates, Dr. Gambacorta and particularly my dad. I’m privileged to have a father who’s a dentist. Having this skilled and private expertise with my father, studying from him and offering care to this group collectively was a bonding second. I used to be reminded why I selected a profession path in dentistry within the first place.
~ Abigail Romano, Buffalo ‘23
Featured picture: The College of Buffalo dental staff exterior St. Francis Mission Dental Clinic. Pictured from left to proper: Dr. Gambacorta, Dr. Romano, Abigail Romano, Taryn Extra, Marty Jones of St. Francis Mission, Drew Hanna, Elisabeth Estep, Brooke Thornhill, Olivia Marziale, Pallavi Mathur and Mike Casab.
