Above: Dr. Isabel Mello, Dr. Randy Balcom, Suzanne Balcom, and Dr. Robert S. Roda. Photo courtesy Suzanne Balcom
By Samantha Ashenhurst
NSDA Communications Manager
When Dr. Randy Balcom (Dal DDS ‘81) moved back home to Nova Scotia in 2002 after spending 21 years working in British Columbia, he was eager to join a study club. For more than a decade, he had been an active member of Vancouver Ferrier Gold Foil and the Fairview Endodontic Study Club.
Upon Dr. Balcom’s return, however, he found few study club options, so he approached his former classmate, Dr. Robert S. Roda (Dal DDS ’81), with the idea of creating an accredited endodontic study club for general dentists in Atlantic Canada. Dr. Roda, an endodontist practicing in Scottsdale, Arizona, had close family in Halifax and jumped at the idea.
“Dr. Robert S. Roda has a passion for education and an ability to demystify a difficult procedure — the root canal therapy,” says Dr. Balcom’s wife, Suzanne.
Enlisting Suzanne as Program Director, the trio met with Dalhousie Faculty of Dentistry Clinical Director, Bruce Moxely (supported by Roberta Emms and Audra Hayden), and the Provincial Dental Board of Nova Scotia (PDBNS) to establish the East Coast Endodontic Study Club (ECESC).
It soon became clear there was a need for such a group.
“We created and distributed a flyer to every dentist in Atlantic Canada,” Suzanne says. “The response was overwhelmingly positive.”
Now in its 21st year, the ECESC offers members competency in endodontics by way of mentorship, hands-on training, and clinical operations with patients, providing more than 35 Category 1 CE credits per study year.
The club is also a supportive and optimistic community for dentists practicing not only in Atlantic Canada, but anywhere in the world. The ECESC recently increased its capacity by way of a new yearly format, with three meetings in person and three hosted on Zoom.
Members become mentors
Key to the success of ECESC is the leadership provided by its mentors, including Dr. Robert S. Roda (co-founder), Dr. Evan Baird, and Dr. Isabel Mello — who, as head of the Division of Endodontics in Dalhousie’s Faculty of Dentistry, plays a significant role in extending ECESC invitations to new graduates.
Several of the club’s members have also transitioned into mentorship roles.
“Veteran member and study club Chair Dr. Ron Chafe joined in 2003 and has since become a member who mentors other members,” Suzanne says. “Dr. Kevin Walsh joined over a decade ago and mentors, too. All of our members support and guide one another.”
Among the club’s newest members is Dr. Sierra Lovell, co-president of Dalhousie Dentistry Class of 2023.
“We started doing Endo in third year dental school,” Dr. Lovell says. “It’s obviously a challenge at first, and we only get so much experience in school.”
Dr. Lovell approached her endodontics professor, Dr. Mello, for advice on how to gain more endodontic experience.
“I didn’t want to graduate and then go out on my own and not have any support,” Dr. Lovell says. “Dr. Mello told me about the study club. I got in, then I told my friend about it, and then we told our other friends. Now about a quarter of our class is in it.”
For Dr. Lovell, who now works in a group practice in Antigonish, the ECESC has helped her practice her endodontic skills, which has allowed her to better serve her patients.
“In the practice where I am, we do everything,” she says. “There are no specialists close by and people don’t always want to travel to Halifax. If there’s a tough case, I’ll refer it, but most of the time patients just want you to do procedures in the clinic.”
Indeed, the extra experience has helped eliminate some of the nervousness and fear, making endodontics more enjoyable — and even fun!
“The club is really good because it gives you the confidence and practice with endo, and you see there are so many different ways you can do it,” Dr. Lovell says. “You have access to specialists, which has been really helpful.”
“I’ve heard a lot of older dentists say that if you don’t do endo early in your career, you’re never going to do it, so I just wanted to jump in,” she adds. “Now I love it!”
Learning for all ages
As a member of the ECESC, Dr. Lovell is certainly in good company! Among the club’s members are Dr. Heather Carr, President of the Canadian Dental Association; Dr. Claire Karst, President-elect of the Nova Scotia Dental Association; Dr. Sunita Sharma, incoming Chair of the Provincial Dental Board of Nova Scotia; and Dr. Kevin Walsh, PDBNS Past Chair.
“In this study club, we have many members sitting in seats of leadership in Nova Scotia and one of whom is at the seat of the table across Canada,” Suzanne says. “This means that when Sierra and her classmates come in to the club, they’re in the presence of leaders in dentistry who have been growing a community.”
While new grads are certainly learning from their mentors, the multi-generational environment also provides opportunity for more experienced dentists to connect with and learn from those who recently completed their DDS.
“There’s this cross pollination,” Suzanne says. “Our leaders get to see all the new grads. They see dentists in the making, and new grads get to see what leadership looks like. They all come together at the same level and help each other.”
“It’s humbling when you see older dentists who also didn’t know the thing that you didn’t know,” Dr. Lovell adds. “It helps you realize that everyone is always learning.”
Opportunity abound
Encouraging ongoing learning is certainly a driving force for the ECESC. To ensure continued momentum in this regard, the club offers complimentary membership for dental graduates across the country during their first year of practice, as well as a reduced rate for their second year.
“Our deepest intention is to really help new grads,” Suzanne says. “There is a lot of pressure on them, and the first few years practicing are important.”
Dr. Robert S. Roda agrees.
“When I was in dental school over 40 years ago, the sum total of dental knowledge could be represented as the size of a volleyball,” he says. “Now it’s the size of a large beach ball and is getting bigger every year, yet dental school is still only four years. To assimilate all of the excess information (which has a direct impact on treatment outcomes), graduated dentists must continue to intensively train in various disciplines, including endodontics, or else they will need to refer most or all cases to specialists.”
Further to this commitment, this year the ECESC is extending an additional year of complimentary membership to DDS 2023 graduates. This pledge was made in memory of the club’s co-founder, Dr. Randy Balcom, who passed away in 2023.
Building community
Importantly, in addition to continuing education, the ECESC offers its members a place where they can feel accepted, valued, and enriched.
“I love serving dentistry in Atlantic Canada,” Suzanne says. “There’s such a willingness to learn and to be open and to form community. We believe if dentists stay together, there’s strength. That’s the beauty of the study club — it’s like-minded humans who can turn to each other for support and clarity.”
To join the ECESC, dentists must be licensed to practice. When a long-time member retires, they are encouraged to remain in the club (with their membership fees waived) to continue sharing their insights and maintaining a sense of community.
“Most club members stay with us until they retire,” Suzanne says. “If and when a member needs time to nurture a family or manage a practice, their membership waits for them to return. Twenty-one years after forming, many children of our club members are graduating dental school and joining. We’re seeing the second generation.”
Dentists of all ages and experience levels are invited to join the ECESC.
“It’s never too late for dentists to feel the power of community,” Suzanne says. “When we wrap our arms around new grads and members, we’re saying, ‘Come and be in the presence of this collective professional wisdom. We want to share it with you and we want you to share your experience with us. Don’t go it alone.’”
In memory of the East Coast Endodontic Study Club’s co-founder, Dr. Randy Balcom, his wife, Suzanne, and his children, Sam and Rebecca, are extending an additional year of complimentary membership to DDS 2023 graduates. For more information, email endostudyclub@gmail.com.
