March 18, 2010
On February 14th while most of us were indulging on treats that cause cavities, Dalhousie graduate Liz-Ann Munro Lamarre celebrated Valentines Day by preventing them.
Started by independent dental hygiene practitioners in Ontario, Gift from the Heart (GFTH) is a day of pro-bono dental hygiene work. An enthusiastic Liz-Ann mentions that in Toronto the program has been such a success that, “Appointments have to be booked as early as December [and is] sure that it is only a matter of time until that happens here.”
Inspired by footage seen while attending Dalhousie’s School of Dental Hygiene, of a hygienist working independently in residential care facilities, Munro Lamarre graduated in 2005 with the idea that one day she'd have her own business. After working for dentists, completing the residential care dental course, and spending a year preparing for an independent practice, her dream came true. Munro Lamarre owns The Smile People, dental hygiene inc. in Salmon Arm, BC, a clinic that focuses on reducing barriers to access to regular dental maintenance. “Because many of my clients have been without care for a long time, I am grateful for the strong focus on periodontal disease and skillful hand scaling I received while at Dalhousie,” says Liz-Ann.
Over the last seven months Liz-Ann has been participating in various events to promote health, such as working with Health Canada to run the Children's Oral Health Initiative at a local First Nations reserve and participating in Smile Day, where a local dentist volunteered to do dental exams for free. They saw over 40 people all of which received a complimentary dental hygiene treatment in the following days.
It sounds like the hard work is finally paying off as, “February has been a ton of work, but the first month where I really feel things are starting to roll: people are calling in and making appointments, and leaving happy,” states Munro Lamarre.
Liz-Ann has a passion for what she does, saying she, “Loves how the profession of dental hygiene positively affects people’s lives.” With the combination of this passion and hard work, the future of her clinic looks good. Now that’s something to smile about.
Those in the Salmon Arm area interested in Liz-Ann’s Dental Hygiene Office can view more details on her website at www.thesmilepeople.ca.
Natalie Irwin, Dalumni News & Events March 2010