AFTER opening its training on specialization in 2018, the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) Department of Dental Medicine (DDM) produced its first two graduates late last year, showing the world of Dentistry that specialization can be made more affordable and accessible when dedicated professionals pool their passion and purpose.
The pioneering graduates are Doctors Andrew Louis Lamela from Marihatag, Surigao del Sur, and Gino Arvin Santos from Davao City.
Lamela took his Dentistry course at the Davao Medical School Foundation (DMSF) and passed the Dental Board Licensure Exam last December 2015, while Santos was the sixth placer in the May to June 2017 licensure exam after graduating from the Southwestern University Phinma.
Getting their Hospital Dentistry Training at SPMC, the country's biggest government hospital attending to up to 90 percent charity cases, the two were not only honed in Hospital Dentistry and Oral Surgery, their compassion and passion for the practice was heightened as they worked for one year and three months with patients whose lack of financial capabilities made what could've been simple dental cases to complicated ones.
“I learned not only about hospital dentistry and oral surgery, but also character building, how we deal with different kinds of patients, how we become a better human than we were yesterday,” Dr. Santos said.
“The most important thing I learned from this is to be passionate in serving the less fortunate people who are in dire need of dental treatment,” Dr. Lamela said.
SPMC medical chief Dr. Leopoldo Vega looks at this landmark as a step into SPMC’s vision to be the apex institution in referral center for specialty services and thus welcomed the pioneering graduates.
Lamela saw the need for oral surgeons in his work in Bislig City as he got to encounter cases he cannot even help because of their complexity.
“These patients neglected their illnesses because of the scarcity of dentists who are able to manage them and also because of financial reasons. These reasons inspired me to take an extra step in seeking further education for these people,” he said.
While, oral surgery is Santos’ interest and he intended to enroll at the training program of the Philippine General Hospital in Manila after passing the board. A month after he took oath, SPMC offered the course, thus he applied for it and was accepted.
The Hospital Dentistry Training Program is a new section of the hospital's dental unit. Through the initiative of its department head Doctors Heidee Daphne Digma and Rey Hafid Milan, now the training officer. It was approved in the mid-part of 2017 by Dr. Vega and was put in place the year after.
“Always be humble and have the heart of service with all the time,” was the reminder given by Dr. Richard Ian Clem Quiñones, chief of Clinics Department of Dental Medicine to their graduates.
Having their first graduates is a milestone as DDM envisions to make more specialization courses available to Mindanao dentists, especially those who may not be able to afford the cost and time it takes to get the training in Manila.
“Back when I was in Dr. Santos' and Dr. Lamela's shoes during my hospital dentistry training in UP-PGH, I realized that not all those who are interested, passionate and willing to train there will be able to because of financial and economic concerns,” training officer Dr. Millan said.
It was the collective realization of SPMC-DDM officers and consultants that brought forth this dream.
“This is part of service to the community where indigents can access quality dental care,” Dr. Digma had earlier said about the training program.
As a preview to what the DDM envisions, it has already gathered a team of consultants all set to start on new specialization trainings.
The Hospital Dentistry and Oral Surgery training program is headed by Dr. Louie Ignatius Lopez. The coming programs and their consultants are:
Oral Maxillofacial Surgery headed by Dr. Fredeswinda Maco, with senior consultants Dr. Carlos Buendia, the chair of oral maxillofacial surgery department of the Mary Chiles General Hospital in Manila and Dr. Yi-jan Hsia, director of Oral Maxillofacial Surgery, Tzu Chi Hospital of the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation in Taipei, Taiwan; Orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics headed by Dr. Gamaliel Urbi; Section of Periodontics headed by Dr. Andrea Arancillo, and; Section of Endodontics headed by Dr. Grace Sang.
Indeed, there is a bright future ahead for Mindanao dentists and their patients as higher trainings are now within reach in an environment that underscores passion and compassion in caring for the sick and the poor.