By Cheryl Bell

Mohammad – Moe – Alshateel (BSc’17, DDS’21) arrived in Canada from his home in Kuwait, aged 18, on Christmas Eve 2012 in the middle of snowstorm. He was on a scholarship and originally planned to study medicine. But by the end of his BSc in chemistry at Dalhousie, his sights were firmly set on dentistry.

Even before he began his studies in the Faculty of Dentistry, Dr. Alshateel volunteered as an interpreter in its Government Assisted Populations (GAP) clinic, which treats new immigrants and refugees to Nova Scotia.

“Through knowing another language I was able to be the bridge between the patients and the dental hygienists who were treating them, explaining treatments and procedures,” says Dr. Alshateel.

When he became a dentistry student, the volunteering didn’t stop. Dr. Alshateel continued to work in the GAP clinic as an interpreter during his first and second years, then he took on responsibility for scheduling the students, as well as treating patients in years three and four.

“Now that I’m on the other side, as someone who treats patients, I feel what an honour it was to be one of the few people in the clinic speaking to those patients and helping them feel more comfortable,” says Dr. Alshateel.

Funding could expand treatment options

He feels that working in the GAP clinic is a “unique and eye-opening experience” that benefits everyone involved. The clinic patients are newcomers to Nova Scotia who have often experienced dental trauma and neglect. “As students, we are exposed to a wide range of cases and gain valuable communication skills through treating patients who speak many different languages,” he says.

Additional funding for the GAP clinic will enable the clinic to continue and expand to include more dental treatments, such as dentures, which many of these patients need. “I consider it an absolute privilege to help these patients regain their smiles, confidence, and well-being,” says Dr. Alshateel.

Dr. Alshateel hopes to return to Nova Scotia to study for a Master of Education so that he can teach and pass on what his instructors shared with him. He believes that, through teaching, “part of you lives on with someone else. You have an influence on people around you that you don’t always realize, whether it’s as a dentist or instructor, or as a human being.”