In June 2019 I passed the equivalency process, the dental board exams in December 2019 and got registered with Manitoba Dental association in January 2020. I started working at a private clinic in Thompson, MB in February 2020. in March 2020, the first Covid lockdown was announce. As I didn’t have access to childcare because of school and daycare closures, I decided to stay home with my kids. At that time only emergency dental appointments were allowed everything else was cancelled , so either antibiotics or extractions, no aerosol generating procedures at all.
My son was in kindergarten during that first shutdown, he did online schooling, it was actually fun for all of us. We made a schedule and stuck to it and that’s what I think made it easier for us to navigate the new normal.
For the first time in years, we spent quality time as a family. I took up nature photography, did bird watching and stargazing with the kids. We went for very long hikes, hours long and the kids didn’t complain about being tired even once! And I am taking about a 5 yr old and a 3 yr old here!
Not once were we bored, summer is amazing here in Thompson with water bodies and trails all around us. During this time, I found out about an organization called FNHI and once I started researching about it more, I knew this is what I was meant to do!
I went in for a meet and greet, it was set up for a Monday, there were no flights due to Covid but the bus service was still available, I left for Winnipeg at night, 8 hr long bus ride, reached there in the morning, went to Homewood suites to freshen up and drop off luggage. I was impressed at how well organized everything was at that hotel and proper Covid protocols were being followed.
After meet and greet at 391 York Ave, I went in for N95 fit testing at the St. Bonifice hospital and left for my orientation at Oxford house the next day.
I have been working for FNIH for past 7 months and have signed up for some new exciting opportunities that I will write about in my upcoming blogs.
Thank you for sending me your questions and comments, it feels good to know that this blog is helping future dentists more than I ever imagined.
Love,
The Travelling Dentist.