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ASPIRE Dental Services Program Muslim Food Bank & Community Services (“MFBCS”)
3-07-2017
Refugee patients all have at least one traumatic experience that figures prominently as an essential aspect of his/her life history. The clinical effects of traumatic life experiences can be found in the physical, psychological and spiritual symptoms and concerns of the survivor of mass violence and torture. As most physicians and Dentists have limited cultural knowledge about the patient’s, we are unable to communicate properly with our patients; the biggest thing is the language barrier, where the MFBCS’s ASPIRE Dental Services (“ASPIRE”) do their part by providing the interpreters who also have cultural understanding.
Patients who have been severely violated continue to have an extremely strong, upsetting feeling related to traumatic events, sometimes more than twenty years after the event(s). It is essential that we as a community work with the patient to reveal these feelings as well as their effects on the daily life and health of the patient. ASPIRE has done an amazing job, working closely with the ladies especially and giving them strength to face obstacle that they may be facing. An essential and sometimes neglected emotion associated with trauma events is humiliation. Humiliation of the survivor, his/her family and community is often the goal of violence. Public degradation can be internalized as shame and fear. Anger, hatred, and a desire for revenge can grow within the hearts and minds of survivors. Humiliation, combined with feelings of
Impotence and powerlessness, which is often the cause of depression. Each and every survivor is concerned in his/her therapy with the ongoing issue of social justice.
For resettled refugees, English as a Second Language (ESL) programs (or comparable training in the language of the host country) are an important and powerful tool for communication which our ASPIRE group at the Muslim Food Bank works really hard on educating even the little ones. These new language skills must be a key component to all the refugees because this will reduce social isolation and empower the patient’s ability to cope in a new environment.
Aside from the physical approach of the Refugees we have again and again seen the neglect of oral hygiene. What we found is that preventive care services—including oral hygiene instruction, toothbrushes, fluoride treatment, good nutrition habits and tobacco counseling—need to be expanded. On Saturday February 4 2017, Our generous dentists provided the services again, even with all the snow, our Dental Screening was done at the Surrey facilities and the follow up treatments are ongoing. Special thanks and recognition to our dentists, Dr. Dewji of ABC Dental, Dr. Asif Tejani, Astra Dental Centre and all our sponsors/donors. If you want more information about the program or would like to donate, please visit us at www.muslimfoodbank.com, call us at 1-866-824-2525 or email at contact@muslimfoodbank.com.
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