My experience at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris

Suzy May Harkness, Specialty Trainee in Special Care Dentistry
Current Scottish Clinical Leadership Fellow 2024-2025

Earlier this month I had the opportunity to volunteer as a dentist during the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. This opportunity arose from my previous work with the European Association for Sports Dentistry and a specific, personal interest regarding the oral care of para-athletes. As a specialty trainee in Special Care Dentistry, I work daily alongside people with a range of physical and sensory impairments.  However, treating elite-level athletes in a foreign country was an entirely new challenge for me.

The service provided ranged from emergency care to routine treatment; directed towards athletes who may struggle to access services in their home country. Our purpose-built, five surgery dental centre was located on the third floor of a multidisciplinary polyclinic within the Olympic Village, where athletes had access to optometry, physiotherapy and radiology services alongside a range of other specialties. The clinic opened from 8am to 8pm with 24 hour access to emergency dental services. Specialist endodontic and oral surgery input was available alongside a full range of general dental services.

The days were long, busy and varied. I was fortunate to meet and treat inspirational athletes from all over the world, across a range of sports and disciplines. The classification of para-sports is complex, and despite my best efforts, my understanding still leaves a lot to be desired. The dentistry itself was relatively straightforward, and the range of treatments, materials and equipment available was comfortingly familiar. Navigating the French IT system was a different issue altogether. For those who are unaware, a French keyboard uses AZERTY, not QWERTY, along with other differences. It’s incredible how much time can be wasted in a busy clinic when you can’t work out how to generate a full stop. Luckily my French colleagues were very sympathetic to my situation and their patience and humour made the whole experience overwhelmingly positive.

Para-sports are an excellent example of how society’s approach to disability can have a positive impact on those living with it. Para-athletes inspire and excite the world. They redefine what is humanly possible whilst promoting inclusivity, increasing visibility and challenging stereotypes. Special Care Dentistry is all about making dentistry accessible, though in reality, all services should be designed for the full range of patients that use them. My experience at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris offered a snapshot of what well designed, patient centred services can look like. Thousands of volunteers are required to contribute to the success of the Games and I would recommend that anyone, with or without an interest in sport, to get involved. Fortunately in Scotland we don’t have long to wait until the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. I can only hope the level of inclusivity mirrors my experience of elite-level sport so far, and I look forward to the societal legacy that will follow such an event for years to come.