Sask. university prepares for dental therapy program to open at three campuses in 2023
The University of Saskatchewan has temporarily closed the Prince Albert Campus Dental Clinic to patients in order to renovate the space and accommodate students in a new dental therapy program.
“We are very excited. This is a two-year program designed in a very unique way,” College of Dentistry Acting Dean Dr. Walter Siqueira said. “This program was designed to serve the underrepresented population and open new opportunities for jobs.”
Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Dental Therapy program will launch in Fall 2023, to become Canada’s first and only dental therapy degree program.
The university is planning to teach the dental therapy programs at three satellite campuses; in Prince Albert at the University of Saskatchewan campus, in La Ronge at the Northlands College campus and in Regina at the Sask Polytech campus.
The program will accept seven students per year at each campus location, for a total of 21 students per year. It will focus on recruiting Indigenous students. The locations of the campuses will enable students to learn where they live.
Siqueira anticipates enrollment in the dental therapy program will open in March 2023.
“We just don’t want to graduate dentists. We want to graduate dental assistants and therapists who are each an important part of the dental team,” said Siqueira.
Once the renovations are complete, the Prince Albert Campus Dental Clinic will accommodate 14 students who will work alongside University of Saskatchewan College of Dentistry dental residents and senior dental students under the supervision of licensed dentists.
Siqueira says there are also options for students who opt out of the program early.
If a student completes six months, they will receive a dental aid certificate. And if they complete one year, they will receive a dental assistant certificate.
“If for any reason that student decides not to finish the program they can still work.”
The federal government provided $2.1 million dollars in funding to the University of Saskatchewan on June 8, 2022, to establish the dental therapy program.
The funding came from the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch of Indigenous Services Canada.
PRINCE ALBERT PATIENTS
The Prince Albert Campus Dental Clinic is expected to remain closed for one year and re-open in August 2023.
Existing patients needing further treatment like a crown or a bridge were sent a letter and given the option to see a partner dentist in Prince Albert or to travel to the University of Saskatchewan clinic in Saskatoon for the remainder of their care.
These clinics provide care to the public at a reduced fee rate. Experienced dentists practice at the clinic along with College of Dentistry dental students under the supervision of licensed dentists.
After the renovations, students studying to be dentists and those in the dental therapy program will practise at the clinic.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
NEW More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Polar ice is melting and changing Earth's rotation. It's messing with time itself
One day in the next couple of years, everyone in the world will lose a second of their time. Exactly when that will happen is being influenced by humans, according to a new study, as melting polar ice alters the Earth’s rotation and changes time itself.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
NEW 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire': A crowd pleaser that turns it up to 11
Hot on the heels of last year's 'Godzilla Minus One' comes 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,' the first ever Academy Award winner in the giant reptile's decades-long film career.