New Microscope Gives Extra Boost to GSDM Predoctoral Urgent Care Department
The already-high standard of care in the GSDM predoctoral urgent care department is on the rise thanks to the installation of a microscope in May 2023.
Dr. Ana Keohane DMD 16, director of predoctoral urgent care and clinical associate professor of the department of general dentistry, said adding a microscope to the urgent care department will give predoctoral students the opportunity to learn how to treat endodontic emergencies efficiently and effectively using the most up-to-date technology and procedures. This will lead to an enhanced urgent care experience for patients and students alike.
“I think that this will make patients’ experience and treatment much better,” Keohane said. “The standard of care in the emergency department is going to be higher. The students’ experience will be invaluable.”
The microscope – an A-Series A6 Global Microscope – has a wide magnification range, Keohane said, which is particularly helpful with pulpectomies, the removal of the nerve and/or infection to help alleviate the patient’s pain before they can get a complete root canal treatment.
“In order for us to get into the nerve, we need to go through the tooth or through the decay, clean out the decay, and we need to find the chamber and the canals of the tooth,” Keohane said. “With the microscope, it will be easier for us to locate those and being able to treat them.”
Students have worked with a microscope in the Simulation Learning Center, but it’s a different experience using one with a patient, Keohane said.
“Some students have said it’s easy and it’s super nice to see so big on the tooth,” Keohane said. “Others are saying it’s a little like you need to learn where to look. It’s like driving a car and learning to look in the mirror.”
Stephanie Lee CAMED 20 DMD 24, who recently completed her urgent care rotation, said the microscope offered significantly improved magnification compared to her loupes when she was working on a pulpectomy.
“It definitely speeds up the process when we’re treating patients,” Lee said. “We can see more patients during care.”