O dentista que está ajudando um coala a caminhar:betsul esportes

The story…

The dentist helping a koala to walk

Learn language related to…

improving health

Need-to-know language…

prosthetic – describes an artificial body part

patient – person (or animal) receiving medical treatment

mobility – ability to move

rejuvenated – made to feel younger and more energetic again

quality of life – standard of health and happiness

Answer this…

What did the dentist make to help the koala walk?

Watch the video online.

Transcript

It’s an unlikely story - but an Australian dentist has made the world’s first betsul esportes prosthetic foot for a koala.

Jon Doulman, Dental Prosthetist:

My name's Jon Doulman - and I’m a prosthetist, I make dentures - so it was just a matter of bending the rules a bit I suppose.

This is Triumph - Jon’s first animal betsul esportes patient. He’s a rescue koala who was born without a foot.

Marley Christian, Vet Nurse:

Because he didn't have a foot, he limped and he wouldn't put pressure on it. He had difficulty in climbing. He could not jump, and of course, he walked a lot slower.

Marley wanted to help Triumph with his betsul esportes mobility. But when initial attempts to make a prosthetic failed, she ended up going down a less conventional route.

Marley Christian, Vet Nurse:

I was speaking to our local dentist, Jon, and he wanted to have a look. I thought hmm, OK!

Jon Doulman, Dental Prosthetist:

I realised that he was in trouble. Just watching him walk around, holding his leg in the air. The fact that his leg bone almost protrudes through the bottom, so he’s standing on it, and I thought there’s nothing to lose - I should have a go at [helping] him.

So, Jon made a model of Triumph’s leg and got to work looking for a solution.

Jon Doulman, Dental Prosthetist:

I came up with the idea of making a boot out of this dental material. And luckily, he has, almost has, a little ankle here - which means that this thing can slip over it and we can Velcro at the top, which is what’s holding it on. And then it was just a matter of giving him some tread pattern so he could grip.

Luckily, Triumph took to the new boot immediately.

Marley Christian, Vet Nurse:

So since I put it on him, he actually did this little jump - started running around, so… yeah, he reacted really, really well. He seems like, I don’t know, he was reborn again, he was just betsul esportes rejuvenated. I have to say that I cried because it was just such a great moment.

Now Jon’s working on a new version - improving the boot design.

Marley Christian, Vet Nurse:

Amazing! Amazing that it could be done. And it just gives him a better betsul esportes quality of life - because he’s going to be in captivity for the rest of his life.

Did you get it?

What did the dentist make to help the koala walk?

He made the koala a boot.