AS Students Prepare for the Treatment Center

The Advanced Standing Class of 2012 learned about pain control first hand on May 27. The pain control exercise took place in the 6th floor Treatment Center as part of the Clinical Operational Sessions required for students before their clinic rotations begin.

Clinical Associate Professor and Director of the Predoctoral Oral Surgery Clinic Dr. Richard D’Innocenzo organized and oversaw the entire exercise. Each student acted as both patient and dentist as they practiced administering local anesthesia on one another. Faculty members helped demonstrate and then guided the students through the process on their own.

Said Dr. D’Innocenzo, “I think that this exercise gets more successful every time we do it, which is really a tribute to Dr. John Guarente, Dr. Janet Peters, and the additional instructors and administrators who are involved in the organization of the exercise.” He continued, “I believe the part of the exercise that is most valuable to the students or makes them the most comfortable, is when the faculty member demonstrates the procedure and then the students have the opportunity to perform the administration while that same faculty member supervises. The one-to-one teaching method is really useful in this case.”

As part of the Sessions, students also became familiar with the 5th floor Reception, Clinical Educational Support Office, Central Sterilization, and Patient Financial Services—meeting with Mass Health Coordinator Lorletta Dirtion.

Photos are available on facebook and flickr.