ADAWA is proud to sponsor students to go on volunteerism trips with the Kimberley Dental Team. Three recent student volunteer scholarship recipients share their experience with us.
Tell us about your experience with the Kimberley Dental Team. I was somewhat aware of the health inequalities faced by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait communities, but that was the extent of my knowledge. After senior students recalled the incredible time they had with the Kimberley Dental Team and the commitment the program has in helping people disadvantaged by barriers to dental care, I knew I had to apply. I was lucky to be one of the six students selected and scheduled to join the week two team from May 21 to 28.
Over the course of the week in the Kimberley region we travelled to Warmun, Halls Creek and Frog Hollow where we would set up clinic and treat as many children and adults as we could. Due to Jan and John’s perseverance over the years, KDT was well-known in the communities so there was a long line of people waiting to get their teeth checked. A lot of people would come with long-standing and severe toothaches because of their limited access to dental care. Treatment was versatile and ranged from fissure seals to extractions to stainless steel crowns. We even had a couple of patients tear up from glee after seeing their aesthetic anterior restorations! The beautiful faces, joyful smiles, and kind spirits of the people we met was worth the long days and working under the sweltering sun. I felt extremely fortunate to be making a difference.
What were some of the highlights? Highlights from KDT included visiting Ngalangangpum (Mother and Child) School in Warmun and Purnululu School in Frog Hollow and providing oral health education and dental screening to students. We would go into each class, teach children good oral hygiene habits with the help of the KDT mascot Craig the Croc and one-by-one identify children that required dental treatment. Seeing the excitement on their faces when they meet Craig the Croc or when they tell us they brush their teeth every day is invaluable. I also enjoyed going on the Instagram-worthy Danggu Geikie Gorge boat tour along the mesmerising Fitzroy River.
What has this volunteering experience taught you that you think will be valuable as a future practitioner? Some take-home lessons that this volunteering experience taught me is that although limited accessibility to powered equipment can be challenging, treatment such as fissure sealants and atraumatic restorative treatment can still be provided, given careful case selection. Secondly, KDT has solidified my passion for volunteering, which I believe can be a humbling change to private work. Whether it is a one-month long project overseas or a week’s stint in rural WA, I hope to continue volunteering throughout my professional career.
Do you have a message to ADAWA about receiving funding for the trip? I am very appreciative to the ADAWA for providing me with this generous grant and consequently the opportunity to be a part of KDT. It was truly an invaluable experience, the highlight of my final year and certainly one that I will never forget.
Do you have a message to The Kimberley Dental Team about this experience? I would like to thank Jan and John Owen, Dr Jilen Patel and the rest of the talented team for making my experience at KDT so pleasant. By the end of the week, we felt like one big family! The dedication and hard work of the KDT volunteers is what sustains this organisation.
What would you say to other students thinking about joining the Kimberley Dental Team on a future trip? I could not recommend applying for KDT more to students who are considering volunteering. It is very rare that you will be able to get the chance to practise remote dentistry in the backdrop of the picturesque Kimberley landscape alongside amazing practitioners and nurses. Just be prepared for the cane toads!
Tell us about your experience with the Kimberley Dental Team. During the week I was with the Kimberly Dental Team, we were based mostly at the Halls Creek School with treatment focused on children. We were fortunate to have with us two paediatric dentists (Dr Patel and Dr Gilani) who also took the time to teach the students whilst treating the children! The first two days were spent systematically screening the students and the remainder of days were spent on delivering treatment. Working with the Kimberly Dental Team was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Seeing a classroom turn into a makeshift dental clinic that maintained a high level of professionalism and infection control was very impressive. At the same time, being a part of the solution, and providing treatment to children in pain and in need gave me the greatest sense of accomplishment during my Dental School journey. The team became like family almost instantly, both in clinical setting and at home in the evenings all together. Jan and John welcomed us into their home and their lives and created an instant atmosphere of support and love.
What has this volunteering experience taught you that you think will be valuable as a future practitioner? The experience volunteering with the Kimberly Dental Team has acted as a true reminder of what it means to be a dentist, our highest purpose, and our role in helping communities. My time with the community in Halls Creek helped me further develop my communication skills. Finally, working with a predominantly Indigenous population was a new experience for me and something I believe every student should have the opportunity to experience.
Do you have a message to ADAWA about receiving funding for the trip? I can’t begin to thank ADAWA enough for the scholarship and allowing me to be a part of a wonderful team. This experience has truly been the highlight of my time at Dental School, and I am so grateful to ADAWA for proving me the opportunity to volunteer in this capacity.
Do you have a message to The Kimberley Dental Team about this experience? Thank you, Jan and John! Your ceaseless efforts and unwavering contribution to the field of rural dentistry has left a legacy with numerous past students becoming better clinicians as a result of The Kimberly Dental Team trips.
What would you say to other students thinking about joining the Kimberley Dental Team on a future trip?
Apply! Don’t let financial or circumstantial barriers deprive you of this wonderful opportunity. The KDT and ADAWA are so accommodating and helpful in overcoming whatever may be holding you back from applying. It is the most rewarding experience you will have as a dental student!
Tell us about your experience with the Kimberley Dental Team. Spending a week with the Kimberly Dental Team in Halls Creek was a truly invaluable experience, and the highlight of my time in Dental School. It really gave me a tangible appreciation for the disadvantage rural and remote Indigenous Australians have in accessing dental care and the burden of poor oral health they face as a result. It was really encouraging to see the positive impact KDT has had on the dental health of the community in Halls Creek, and how excited the community was to see John and Jan as well!
What has this volunteering experience taught you that you think will be valuable as a future practitioner? This experience taught me how valuable volunteer services can be for communities who otherwise have no easy means by which to access dental care. It has sparked in me enthusiasm to commit to dental volunteering opportunities regularly in the future.
Do you have a message to ADAWA about receiving funding for the trip? Having the privilege to join the KDT for a week is an experience that I will remember long into my career.
Do you have a message to The Kimberley Dental Team about this experience? Thank you so much to Jan and John for inviting students to participate in the KDT trips and making us feel like valuable members of the team. The energy, time and love you both invest into making the KDT trips possible is inspiring. I hope to join you guys in the Kimberly again in the future!
What would you say to other students thinking about joining the Kimberley Dental Team on a future trip? Definitely apply! KDT is such a great experience; you won’t regret it.
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