Rendering of Satellite Clinic

Satellite clinic closer to completion

By Diane Peters 

Construction is well underway at the Faculty of Dentistry’s new satellite clinic, with a planned opening date of early September. 

The brand new 15,000 square foot clinic, which will feature 41 enclosed operatories, will enhance the patient experience and enrich clinical education. It will be located at 777 Bay St., just steps from the Edward St. main dentistry building and situated steps from the Yonge subway line.

“At 777 Bay we expect to do mainly aerosol-generating procedures, such as more complex endodontics and restorative work,” says James Posluns 9T1, 9T8 Dip Ortho, director of clinical affairs.

Dentistry patients will likely find themselves visiting both locations. That might entail getting their assessments on Edward St. and some of their treatment work there too, but visiting the new clinic at some point in their treatment plan.

Posluns says staff and students will work hard to clearly communicate with patients and make sure they know where they’re supposed to be.

Also progressing well are plans about how to deal with instrument reprocessing.  While the new clinic has some sterilization equipment, the majority will be at 124 Edward St. using the new medical device reprocessing facility, which will be ready in the fall. Staff, including Cliff McHugh, who just joined Dentistry as manager of this new facility, is creating the plan to efficiently move instruments between the facilities. 

Posluns thinks students will be particularly keen to see patients at the new location. “Over at 777 it’s a brand-new clinic. It’ll be efficient and attractive. We are all excited to get in there and get to work.”

Danielle Churchill, manager of building operations for the Faculty, agrees. “There’s plenty of glass and everything looks very modern. It’s very clean looking and bright. It will be a place that provides wonderful patient comfort while providing the students with a facility that looks in keeping with what they’ll experience in practice.”

Another benefit of the new satellite clinic is that this location will operate as a swing space when Clinic 2 and the stimulation lab undergo renovations in the coming years. 

Churchill says she sees the space as serving as something of a testing ground, to see which design aspects work best. “It’s like a miniature big clinic; a testing bed for anything that’s new and that’s going to come along at the Faculty site.”

While construction during the pandemic has been a challenge for many projects, Churchill says work on the clinic has, so far, been moving along without a hitch.

“There are so many unknowns in construction generally but this year has been particularly interesting. There have been a lot of supply issues,” she says. “But we haven’t run into any yet.”

Churchill says the dental equipment will be installed in mid-August, a prospect she calls “exciting.” The clinic should open in time for student rotations in the early fall. 

Renderings provided by Saccoccio Weppler Architects Inc.