today Pacific Dental Conference Mar. 17

exhibitors 6 Pacific Dental Conference — March 17, 2016  When Samson Ng, DMD, went to see the 2009 blockbuster 3-D film Avatar, his response was a bit different than that of most other theatre goers: He started thinking about oral lesions. Or, more accurately, Ng found him- self thinking about how he could use similar theatre-quality 3-D imagery to improve the level of care he was providing to the patients he sees as a certified specialist in oral medicine and pathology in Vancouver. at the UBC Faculty of Dentistry, will open the session with an overview on how to approach clinical differential diagnosis of oral lesions. signal requires even greater sensi- tivity, the normal challenges involved in quickly capturing 3-D images in a clinical setting increase exponen- tially. The process gets trickier still bec AD Vancouver’s East Side Dental Clinic is looking for a few good volunteers  Are you interested in a volunteer opportunity in dentistry that doesn’t involve international travel or leav- ing your practice for multiple days in a row? If you’re a Vancouver-area resi- dent, there’s a need for your dentistry skills (no mater what your position) within a 30-minute walk of the Van- couver Convention Centre. And your first step as a potential volunteer is as easy as stopping by booth No. 1652 in the Exhibit Hall to visit with a representative of the Vancouver Native Health Society. The organization is at the PDC as a first-time exhibitor, courtesy of the meeting organizers. “The idea of us By Robert Selleck, today staff The East Side Dental Clinic and one of its three operatories. (Photos/ Provided by VNHS) being at the PDC is to find some more volunteers for our offices — dentists, hygienists, certified dental assistants and others,” said Dr. Lex Vides, VNHS dental clinic manager. Known locally as the East Side Den- tal Clinic, the not-for-profit operation is looking for dental professionals who have an interest in supporting its mission to “improve and promote the health of individuals — with a focus on the Aboriginal community residing in Greater Vancouver.” The 20-year-old organization deliv- ers a variety of programs and services touchingonallaspectsofmaintaining good health. One of the core services supporting the society’s mission is the downtown-Vancouver, storefront den- tal clinic at 455 Hastings St., which is just a few blocks from the Vancouver Convention Centre. Staffed by volunteers, the dental clinic is open Monday to Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon, with some afternoon hours if requested by the volunteers. The clinic is considered a crucial ser- vice for people who would otherwise live with chronic and acute pain due to unresolved dental issues. It’s the Lower Mainland’s only not-for-profit clinic with three operatory rooms. The organization views its charit- able dental clinic as “a compassionate response to inequality and despair,” and the clinic’s work is considered criticaltothesociety’slargerpurpose: “to improve and promote the physical, mental,emotionalandspiritualhealth of individuals.” The organization provides medical care, counselling and social services. Many of its clients face overlapping and oftentimes interrelated challen- ges, including substance abuse, men- tal health issues, chronic disease, homelessness and poverty. VNHS was honored as a Charity Intelligence “Top Pick” for charities/ donations for 2012. Here at the PDC To learn more about the Vancouver Native Health Society and its mission to address the unmet oral-health-care needs of Vancouver’s Aboriginal com- munity,visittheEastSideDentalClinic booth,No.1652,intheExhibitHall.You also can learn more online by visiting www.vnhs.net.

today Pacific Dental Conference Mar. 17

Pages Overview