Dental Hygienist
Department of Oral and Maxillo-Facial Surgery, Osaka Kosei Nenkin Hospital
Sponsored by Osaka Seinan Rotary Club
Introduction
My 4-week long GSE trip to Ontario, Canada, was a wonderful, profitable and precious experience for me, and I am filled with gratitude toward everyone who gave me the opportunity to experience this cultural exchange, make new friends, enjoy vocational study and have the experience of living with several host families.
Ontario, Canada
Canada is located to the northeast of Japan, and the province we visited, Ontario, is located in the southeastern part of Canada. The land mass of Canada is 26 times greater than that of Japan, but the population density of Osaka Prefecture is 440 times greater than that of Ontario. The majority of the land is flat, its natural beauty breath-taking, and small animals (such as squirrels) can be found even in one's own backyard. The people are very kind, polite and calm. I felt that Canadians do not generally push their own opinions on others, but are rather reserved.
Canada is referred to as a country of immigrants. It has been a mere 120 years since Canada became an independent nation, and compared to Japan it is an extremely young country. However, I wonder if Canada is not a more magnanimous country than Japan. Canada has accepted people from many different nations, and these people have treasured and maintained their culture and distinctness as a people in their daily lives, while striving to contribute to the development of Canadian society. We were warmly welcomed during our trip, and we were able to get a taste of Canada's culture, its abundant natural beauty, and the way the people live.
While in Ontario, we visited four municipalities: Kitchener, Mississauga, Woodstock and Burlington. In Kitchener, we visited a Mennonite village where we were able to experience their simple life-style and see what it must have been like in the 19th century when people everywhere lived without electricity and used horses as their means of transportation. In Mississauga, we visited Toronto with its modern, world-class SkyDome and the CN Tower, and we were surprised by the development as well as the peaceful, safe environment of this large metropolis. In Woodstock, with its perfectly flat and wide, open land, we saw how the people are making use of this fertile land by growing tobacco and raising dairy cattle. We also visited a farm equipment manufacturing plant, and we were amazed at the largeness of the scale at which things are done there and by the various ways the land is being used. In Burlington, we were able to help out as volunteers when we worked at the water tables along the route of a marathon race sponsored by the Rotary to help raise money for a hospice care facility. Also, we heard the interesting fact of how the huge power plant on the Canadian side of the Niagara River produces most of its electricity for use in the United States. There were many wonderful programs planned for us, and although it was a physically tiring schedule, every day was fruitful and productive.
Vocational study
During my formal vocational study trips, I was able to visit a periodontist, an orthodontist, a general dentist, and the dental department of a university. In addition, my host families and Rotarians were kind enough to arrange for me to visit 7 other facilities privately, including an oral surgeon's office. We were so hurried at times that there wasn't much time to do anything but look around at the places we visited, but even still, each place was very interesting to me, and my vocational study was a very valuable experience because, in particular, as a dental hygienist, the purpose of my vocational study was to get an idea of what Canadian dental hygienists actually do at the workplace.
In Japan, dental hygienists work directly under the supervision and direction
of the dentist or oral surgeon, performing the following tasks, and more:
1) removing plaque from teeth above and below the gumline with electric
tools,
2) administering medicine (to the teeth or the oral cavity),
3) assisting the dentist with his examinations, and
4) giving dental care instruction to patients.
In reality, the majority of our work consists of 3), helping the dentist
while he is examining his patients.
In Canada, though, it is dental assistants or nurses who assist the dentist. Dental hygienists are mostly involved with 1) and 2), cleaning patients' teeth and administering medicines, and in particular, they devote much of their time and energy to preventative care related to periodontal disease. There were many things I could learn by watching them make the most of their professional training as they carried out their responsibilities. Also, most dental clinics employ a large number of dental hygienists, and their work schedules are set up so that they can work on the days they choose. I was surprised to see how Canadian dental hygienistsare able to match their working hours to their own personal life-style. In addition, there were many hygienists working at the clinics I visited who have been working for ten years or more. In Japan, the average is more like four years, with some working just a couple of years because they get married, have children or quit for some other reason. In Canada, though, there were some hygienists who continued to work even though they have grandchildren! I couldn't help thinking that we in Japan need to rethink our views towards working long-term, the way we handle our work, and the type of working environment we create.
As far as dental hygienist education and training is concerned, in Japan
the only option available is a 2-year course, but in Canada they have 4-year
and 2-year courses of study, and with the 2-year course they have two different
programs to choose from. One program is similar to what we have in Japan,
where they study directly for two years, take their licensing exam and
start working. The other approach is to study for one year, get some experience
working as an actual hygienist at a dental clinic, and then return to school
for one more year before taking their licensing exam. No matter whether
they choose the 4-year course or the 2-year course, the graduates end up
with basically the same type of work if they go to work at a dental office.
Those who study for four years, however, are qualified to become instructors.
It was very interesting to see how the students choose from a variety of
educational styles to learn the skills they need for the career they wish
to pursue. It appears, however, that many dentists and instructors are
encouraging students to take the 2-year course because, they say, the hygienists
will be able to become familiar with the various technical skills they
need to handle a variety of working conditions by getting hands-on experience
at a dental clinic. Also, since the students are able to work with 30 different
patients throughout their time at school (planning their treatment, taking
care of the overall condition of their patients, etc.), learning to be
concerned about everything related to handling patients, it is possible
for them to begin utilizing their special skills immediately upon graduation.
I felt that this is a wonderful system of education.
Regarding the conditions of the facilities themselves, it appears that
many doctors with the same specialty often work in the same building. Therefore,
some patients must go to a number of different clinics in order to receive
the dental care they need. There are general practice dentists who are
much like those in Japan who handle all but the complicated surgery cases.
Also, all the receptionists were in charge of the computerized handling
of patient information. At clinics with a large number of employees, a
person called a dental coordinator works "in between" the receptionist
and the dental hygienists, managing general affairs such as setting up
the patients' appointments and making sure a proper number of patients
will be coming at a given time.
Due to differences in the system and social situation, differences exist between Canada and Japan in regard to the social position of dental hygienists and the way they go about with their work responsibilities. As I think of the limitations I have due to a lack of knowledge in certain aspects of the dental industry, I realize that I cannot change the situation here in Japan easily, and there may be things that should not be changed. But, if I can be connected in some way, no matter how small, with the improvement and advancement of dental hygienists here in Japan, I think it would be wonderful. And I think I would like to strive towards that end.
The Canada GSE team and cultural exchange
The Japanese team members were able to deepen our friendship with the members of the Canadian GSE team. The first time we met them was on March 19 when we took them around the streets of Osaka to help them get over their jet lag. When I first saw them at the hotel where we were supposed to meet, I remember wiping the sweat from my hand several times as I nervously waited to shake hands with them! I met them every weekend they were here, and we went out to eat or sing karaoke. We got to know each other little by little during their time in Japan, and when they were leaving Japan, we promised firmly to meet again in Canada. Our doing things with them while they were here in Japan was the doing of our team leader, Mr. Katoh, and as a result, our time in Canada was made all the better because of the friendships we had started in Japan. Sometimes, our Canadian hosts planned 3-day-2-night tours for us in the midst of our hectic schedules so that we could enjoy the luxury of sleeping, getting up and eating when we wanted, and as a result our stressed out bodies were able to relax and recover. We heard from some Rotarians that the keys to the success of our GSE tour were the meticulous arrangements made by the two team leaders, Takashi Katoh and Kathi Smith, and the firm trust they had in each other.
My homestay experiences
It is probably the interchange I had with my host families that was the most unforgettable and precious experience for me. I am filled with gratitude towards everyone for warmly accepting me and sharing their lives and culture with me even though it was my first homestay experience and I was a bit confused by the environment I found myself in. They got up early to take me places, and stayed up late into the night waiting for me to come home. They also worked hard to set up vocational study trips for me. I do not have the words to express how I feel as I think of them going to such lengths to make such considerate preparations and to make me feel relaxed. As I lived with them and experienced the way they live, I learned the importance of giving oneself some leisure time. We in Japan tend to live such busy lives that we don't have the time to "enjoy the sights" along the way, and we need to remember the importance of family, as well as work. This is a problem area for many Japanese, I think.
I am sure that I caused many people much trouble during my time in Canada, but I think that my host families, who gave me so many wonderful memories, will continue to be a source of support and encouragement to me.
In conclusion
Though this GSE trip provided me with a very precious opportunity to learn about a different country and its customs and culture, at the same time, it was also a good opportunity for me to learn about myself and my own country. It is my hope that I will be able to pass on some of the wonderful knowledge, service-mindedness, cultural exchange and mutual understanding I gained from this experience. Also, even though this GSE program is now over, the friendships I started have only just begun. I want to continue to deepen our exchange and increase my efforts to develop our friendship even more.
