A jaw-dropping experience
Student initiative, generous local butcher result in unique opportunity for some future Ottawa dentists
When Manor Park resident Sofia Christow-Filleul approached Beechwood butcher Andrew Muckleston at Muckleston & Brockwell for pig heads, he wasn’t quite sure what to think.
She explained the heads, or more specifically the pigs’ jaws, would be used by local pre-dentistry students to gain practical experience with tooth extraction and suturing.
Muckleston says he was happy to help, opening the door to a unique training exercise for 10 local students.
“He (Muckleston) was very kind to accommodate our needs,” she said. “It worked out very well.”
“I enjoy doing this for them,” Muckleston told the Chronicle, noting this wasn’t the first time helping someone in the medical field. “I used to supply veal hearts to a heart surgeon, so he could do demonstrations for his students.”
The two jaws were put to work soon after they arrived in late February. Christow-Filleul, along with her fellow students from the University of Ottawa Pre-Dental Club and the Pre-Dental Study Collective, participated in a workshop March 1. Under the guidance of Dr. Melvin Lee, the group gained hands-on experience during the session at uOttawa.
Collective fills local void
With no dental school in the city, the collective fills a void, giving students practical experience to help them determine their career path.
Christow-Filleul calls Dr. Lee a mentor. She adds she has shadowed and assisted him at his clinic, Dentistry @ Bank Street Professional Centre.
“It’s been an incredibly positive experience at the clinic,” she said. “You get to see what a dentist does on a daily basis … helping patients smile … alleviating pain … it’s incredibly gratifying, I find.”
Her own positive experiences with her dentist over the years as well as volunteer work at the Ottawa Mission Dental Clinic have all helped to fuel her interest.
“All these positive experiences have built up my passion for pursuing dentistry.”
At uOttawa, Christow-Filleul is studying Psychology and Life Sciences, both important components in her career drive. From here, she hopes to take the next step at dental school, either in Canada or Australia. “Ultimately, that is the goal.”
When that happens, she can thank a neighbourhood butcher for helping her along the way.
