ICD Section II – CANADA – News

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Class of 2013

Middle Row (L-R):  Frank Hechter (Winnipeg, MB), Robert Barsky (Calgary, AB), Murray White (Winnipeg, MB), Grace Lee (Ottawa, ON), Charles Lin (London, ON), Robert Huff (Calgary, AB), Keith Compton (Edmonton, AB), Mohan Teekasingh (Saskatoon, SK), Blaine Friesen (Regina, SK), Valerie Stavro (Toronto, ON), Russell Hamanishi (Delta, BC), Lionel Lenkinski (Toronto, ON), Robert Ruhl (Wilmington, VT), Pauline Harrison (Calgary, AB)

Back Row (L-R):  Daniel Albert (Bedford, NS), Keyvan Abbaszadeh (London, ON), Terrie Logue (Dartmouth, NS), Donna Green (St. Thomas, ON), Gordon Payne (London, ON), Gordon Organ I(Toronto, ON)

Canadian Section Projects History

International College of Dentists Student Awards

In 2008, the Canadian Section once again sponsored the International College of Dentists Student Awards, now in the 52nd year.

First offered in 1956, with an award of $100 to one student in each of the five Faculties of Dentistry in Canada, it now consists of a $1000 bursary and a plaqued certificate to one student completing the penultimate year in each of our 10 Faculties of Dentistry. Selection is on the recommendation of the Faculty, based on character, participation in extracurricular activities, and academic record in that year.

Village of Hope Dental Clinic

In 2005, a grant of $5,000 was provided to ship donated equipment and supplies for an ongoing project in the Village of Hope, a volunteer dental clinic operated by a group from Winnipeg, Manitoba at an orphanage and school in Kitwe, Zambia. The Village of Hope offers a daily feeding and program and free education to all the students. Unfortunately, the orphanage does not have the financial means to obtain professional dental care for the children. Through volunteer dental task force teams, the children are seen on a regular basis and their dental needs cared for by the visiting teams.

In 2007, an additional $10,000 was provided to upgrade the clinic equipment and in 2008, $10,000 was granted towards the construction of a permanent clinic facility.

Street Angels Community Dental Project

In 2005 and 2006, the Canadian Section and its charitable arm, the William James Spence ICD Memorial Foundation, provided a total grant of $13,000 to the Canadian based Street Angels Society towards the building and equipping of a one-chair dental clinic in Dona Aurora, an urban Brazilian community of approximately 2,000 residents. This project will provide residents with basic dental and preventive services and an educational program in oral hygiene.

In 2007 an additional $10,000 was provided from our William James Spence ICD Memorial Foundation towards the completion of the dental clinic in Dona Aurora. Again in 2008, the project was granted $10,000, this time for equipment and supplies.

The ongoing clinical services and preventive program will be provided by local dentists, dental students and public health professionals. The Street Angels Society will negotiate collaborative arrangements among local universities, public health agencies in Bahia, and the National Brazilian Dental Association, to secure this resource for the dental clinic and community.

Two Projects previously supported by the Canadian Section:

University Laval Dental Treatments Abroad

For four consecutive years, students from Laval Universite, Ste-Foy, Quebec, having completed their third year of dentistry, have gone abroad to offer dental treatment to a population in need. In 2001 it was to Paraguay, under the supervision of the Faculty of Dentistry and the Bureau International of Laval University.

From June 15th to August 15th, two groups of five students headed to Coronel Oriedo for a four-week stay. Each group was accompanied by a dentist who, in collaboration with local dentists, supervised the dental treatments. The religious community of the Augustine Sisters also participated in the project.

The population, living principally from agriculture, has very little access to dental and medical services. The students’ mission was to offer dental care (surgery, operative dentistry and periodontal treatment) and to establish a preventive dentistry program for the people.

The Canadian Section provided a grant of $3,000 towards the purchase and transportation of supplies for this project.

Rural Dental Clinic in Legurga, Latvia

One of our Canadian Fellows, Kira Obrazcova, a native Latvian, requested assistance for a rural dental clinic which had been servicing approximately 10,000 people (including two nursery schools and a primary school), with outdated equipment left over from the Soviet regime. Fellow Obrazcova, who visits the area regularly, through the assistance of a dental supply company and some colleagues has been able to supply this clinic with two dental chairs, a sterilizer, an x-ray machine and some dental supplies. All of this was shipped by container, free of charge, through the courtesy of the Latvian Embassy in Ottawa.

A grant of $4,000 was given to the provider, Dr. Edite Avolina, to purchase badly needed supplies. In her thank-you letter, Dr. Avolina included a list of some 45 items for which she intended to use these funds. Fellow Obraszcova was able to present the cheque in person, accompanied by Jugrida Lace of the Latvian Embassy Staff in Ottawa.