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College of Dentistry alumnus Jane Bennett, D.D.S., works on a drawing at her home. Dr. Bennett donated some of her art to be displayed on the walls of the college’s Lincoln clinic. |
Dr. Bennett donated the artwork to her alma mater to help spruce up the newly-renovated clinic and give back to the school that taught her much more than how to fill a cavity.
“They taught us to become involved, to give back to the community and to be proactive educators on the importance of good oral care,” Dr. Bennett said.
The brightly colored drawings were a gift of thanks and a labor of love for Dr. Bennett, whose first inclination wasn’t to go into dentistry but art.
“I thought about art as a career but when I took art classes in college it seemed like more of a job and I wanted to be able to enjoy it as a hobby,” she said.
In deciding what she could do creatively with her hands, Dr. Bennett turned to the art and science of dentistry.
“And because I knew I wanted to work with children, I focused on pediatric dentistry,” she said.
Dr. Bennet’s drawings compliment the underwater theme in the renovated pediatric clinic.
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First-year dental student Gary Lehn, aka “Ortho Man,” visits with a child undergoing treatment in the newly renovated pediatric dental clinic during Children’s Dental Day at the UNMC College of Dentistry. The picture on the wall was done by Dr. Bennett. |
Out went the dark brown paneling and orange dental chairs. In their place, a softer palette of ocean blues and off whites.
Lower cubicle walls, more elbow room and brighter lights make providing care easier for the dentists, Dr. Hamilton said.
The four brightly colored pencil drawings of fish, turtles and ducks on the walls are meant to create a more inviting atmosphere for patients.
“There’s a difference between walking into a room that’s very modern and walking into a clinic that looks older than you are,” Dr. Hamilton said.
The underwater theme came about when a designer suggested a wave pattern made out of plexi-glass along the tops of the cubicle walls to make each space a little more private, he said.
The theme just took off from there.
After graduating from the UNMC College of Dentistry in 2003, Dr. Bennett spent two years as a resident working in the pediatric clinic in Omaha.
The experience taught her a lot, she said, about how to talk to children on their level, how to make them comfortable and to understand a child’s fears and anxieties.
“We also learned about working with children in a hospital setting and working with children with disabilities,” she said.
Dr. Bennett also spent time visiting local schools talking to children about the importance of good oral health, something she continues to do today.
Dr. Bennett credits the extra training she received during her residency with making her more confident and capable pediatric dentist.
Shortly after completing her residency in 2005 Dr. Bennett opened her own clinic in Papillion.
The barnyard inspired interior of her clinic is just one more indication of her artistic flair.
“I wanted it to be kid-friendly and fun,” Dr. Bennett said.