This article is part of a series focusing on the grads of the AV俱乐部 Class of 2023. Spring Convocation runs from May 29 to June 7 in Halifax and Truro.听Read all our profiles听here听as they are published, and for more information visit the听Convocation website.
While Brian Lawrence (DDH鈥�23) was earning a BSc in chemistry from Memorial University in St. John鈥檚, he considered applying to dental schools as the next step on his career path. While no one his family worked in dentistry, he thought it would be an interesting and fulfilling profession. There was one major snag, however 鈥� when he graduated in 2021, he wouldn鈥檛 have the required biology prerequisites.
After meeting with a Memorial academic advisor, Brian learned that he鈥檇 need one more undergraduate year to get those credits. Not interested in that plan, he came up with another one that would get him closer to his goal: he鈥檇 earn a diploma in dental hygiene.
Born and raised in Gander, NL, Brian knew he wanted to stay close to home, which meant not leaving Atlantic Canada. There were only two programs offering a dental hygiene diploma in the region: AV俱乐部 and a private college in Moncton. 鈥淚 had heard Dal鈥檚 dental hygiene program was good and the faculty was experienced, so I didn鈥檛 apply anywhere else,鈥� he says.
Like many first-year dental hygiene students starting the program right after finishing an undergraduate degree, Brian was initially daunted by the demanding course load. At Memorial, he had taken five courses each semester; at Dal, it doubled to 10. 鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 prepared!鈥� he says. 鈥淏ut I stayed organized, made schedules, and had a good group of classmates to help with assignments.鈥� To relieve stress, he played hockey with other Dal students on the weekends.
Working as a team
Brian's favourite part of the program was working in the AV俱乐部 Dental Clinic. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e getting all of the practice and experience you need to work in the real world with instruments, and it鈥檚 where you treat your first real patients,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 enjoy talking to people and joking around with them a bit to help make them feel comfortable. The relationships you form with your patients are really meaningful.鈥�
Some interactions could also be challenging, but the program prepared Brian for those, too. One patient at the clinic needed fillings. Terrified of needles, she started crying while sitting in the chair. 鈥淭hat was tough to watch, and we tried our best to comfort her, but she couldn鈥檛 go through with it and decided to leave and go home,鈥� he says.
The next week, the woman came back, but this time only to have a cleaning. It was just her, Brian, and a supervising professor. 鈥淚 asked her how school was going, and when I learned she liked doing board games, we talked about that for a while,鈥� he says.
Brian also walked the patient through deep-breathing exercises, which he had learned in a class on dental fear, pain, and anxiety. 鈥淪he knew she wasn鈥檛 going to have a needle that time, so she was more relaxed,鈥� he says. 鈥淗opefully at some point, she鈥檒l feel comfortable enough to have the fillings done.鈥�
Treating patients at the Faculty of Dentistry鈥檚 Harbour View Elementary School paediatric clinic in Dartmouth and at a dental clinic at Halifax鈥檚 North End Community Health Centre gave Brian varied patient perspectives. 鈥淲e saw all ages and demographics,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 really liked the variety of people and cases the clinics offered.鈥�
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Lining up the next shot
As Brian was preparing to write his dental hygiene exams in mid-April, with board exams on the near horizon in May, he was thinking about whether he wanted to pursue further education. While he isn鈥檛 leaning toward a bachelor of dental hygiene at the moment, he hasn鈥檛 ruled out his original plan of applying to dental school. 鈥淚 want to work as a dental hygienist for at least one year, to get some additional experience鈥� he says. 鈥淎fter that, we鈥檒l see!鈥�
In the short term, after exams are over, Brian has a couple of job interviews lined up in Nova Scotia, where he plans to stay for a while. 鈥淗alifax is the perfect size 鈥� big enough that there鈥檚 lots to do but small enough that you don鈥檛 get lost in it,鈥� he says. 鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to making some money, and to golfing all the courses around Halifax this summer.鈥�
Brian is looking forward to more than just a paycheque, however. 鈥淚 liked the routine of school,鈥� he says, 鈥渁nd I think I鈥檒l like the routine of work even better, because there will be more free time to have work-life balance.鈥�
With dental hygiene school soon to be in his rear-view mirror, does he have any advice for incoming students to the program? 鈥淭hey鈥檒l love it! It鈥檚 lots of work and challenging at times, but the support is there,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he professors are great, and they鈥檙e focused on making sure you鈥檒l get through the program. Everyone wants you to succeed. There鈥檚 teamwork, and it鈥檚 such a positive environment. I feel more than prepared to start working.鈥�