CDA Essentials 2018 • Volume 5 • Issue 8

31 Issue 8 | 2018 | I ssues and P eople When did you do your CAMH rotation? Dr. Bomee Kim (BK): I had the opportunity to be at CAMH for one week in third year, and for a half day in fourth year. What were your expectations about working there? BK: Before the rotation, I hadn’t interacted with individuals with mental illness. I shamefully admit that I expected these patients to be difficult to manage and potentially aggressive. Tell us about your experience. BK: The rotation at CAMH was one of the highlights of my time at dental school. Meeting the patients was different than what I had expected. Every patient I met was sincere and grateful that we were providing dental treatment. I was moved when a few of the patients opened up to me about their experiences with mental illness, and I felt honoured that all the patients I saw at CAMH trusted me to provide dental treatment for them. When each patient thanked me for what I had done for them, I felt truly appreciated. It reminded me why I want to practise dentistry—to help people in need of health care. Has the CAMH rotation changed your perceptions about treating patients with mental illness? BK: It completely changed my attitude. Being at CAMH was a life-changing experience. It helped me realize what mental illness really is and how it takes a toll on the affected individuals. I realized that my perceptions were skewed by how society views mental illness. Has it affected your future career decisions? BK: I’ve decided to pursue specialty dental training in dental anesthesia at U of T. During my rotations, I saw that a small percentage of the population needs a higher level of sedation in order to receive quality dental care. My ultimate goal is to play a role in improving access to care for people with mental illness. My advice to students across Canada is to take advantage of any opportunity you have to be at a mental health facility. You’ll learn a lot about dentistry, but you’ll also realize that preconceptions about treating people with mental illness—that they are difficult to manage—aren’t always true. This realization opens up a whole new population that you can provide dental treatments for in the future. a To hear Dr. Rosenbloom and Dr. Kim discuss the CAMH rotation, visit Oasis Discussions wp.me/p2Lv6A-675 Being at CAMH was a life-changing experience. It helped me realize what mental illness really is and how it takes a toll on the affected individuals. – Dr. Bomee Kim