Megan M Zimbelman
Yugin Lam
| Megan M Zimbelman | Yugin Lam |
Megan M Zimbelman, Yugin Lam
Olivia Sheridan
Preventive & Restorative Sciences, University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine
Project Overview
Mr. A was one of our patients in the Survivors of Torture of program. Originally from India, he fled that country due to severe religious persecution leaving behind his family and loved ones. We witnessed that his lower left mandible was missing teeth (#17 to 21) and that there was severe alveolar resorption of the bone. He explained to us timidly that he once had “some wires around there” and then became silent, retreating into himself. We suspected that Mr. A had experienced some kind of torture to his oral cavity that at one point left his mandible fractured requiring closed reduction therapy. To cope with his past, Mr. A developed a habit of brushing his teeth so much that his periodontium had receded significantly resulting in root carries and sensitivity. The relationship we have formed is one of teamwork, respect, and empathy where Mr. A is included in every part of the process and given full knowledge and autonomy to forge a path towards oral health.
Outcome
Mr. A has personally admitted that being able to come in repeatedly has been an act of desensitization and an opportunity to shed maladaptive stressful responses to dentistry in favor of healthier, empathetically driven responses where he can trust us as providers. The empowerment we give to Mr. A extends to his overall wellbeing including improving quality of sleep using a white noise phone app, nutritional advice at grocery stores and help understanding American idioms. Mr. A provides a phenomenal example of how the Vulnerable Populations Honors Program fosters an inclusive, welcoming environment, so that all patients, regardless of their history, feel dignified, valued and seen.