Simulation Clinic
In August 1995, the School of Dentistry unveiled its restorative dentistry Simulation Clinic - a pre-clinical educational lab housing 61 dental simulation units that was part of a $4 million upgrade to the facilities.
Each unit features a simulation patient with:
- multi-position torso
- adjustable "phantom head" with hard cramium, soft face and
- anatomically correct dental arches and ivorine teeth.
- Individual operating lights, fibre optic handpieces, handpiece water coolant, air/water spray syringes and central suction function just like those in real dental practice.
Gone are the days when we as dental students practiced on nothing more than hard plastic dental arches screwed to a steel rod secured vertically to a lab countertop. The absence of a rubber face and water made it posible to approach the teeth from any direction however unrealistic. Today's student sits ergonomically on the operator stool, the simulated patient reclines realistically and the approach to the oral cavity is constrained by the manikin's range of motion and rubber mouth. Every aspect of the simulation environment better prepares the student for the transition to clinical practice.
Our simulation clinic presently provides a venue for practical training in undergraduate operative, fixed and removable prosthodontic, endodontic, and oral surgical technique. In addition to the foregoing, the Simulation Clinic is an invaluable part of Western's Continuing Education programs, providing an ideal environment to teach advanced endodontic, surgical and dental implant procedures. As well, it fulfills an important role as an educational partner in the practical training component of our local community college based dental assisting and hygiene programs.
To support its teaching role, the simulation clinic is equipped with a multimedia system capable of displaying input from traditional slides, overhead readers, digital or analogue video cameras, vhs or cd players, endo microscope or multiple computers on four ceiling mounted monitors or to project the signal through a digital data projector for display on a traditional large screen. Although the equipment is beginning to show its age and is in need of upgrading, its broad functionality remains undiminished.
We annually participate in campus and community career development open house events to give us an opportunity to show it off both to the public, and potential future students. We are proud of our facility!
If you would like to see our simulation clinic in action:
Contact
Main office 661-2111 ext. 86142
or Dr. G. Jensen at 661-2111 ext. 88813.
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