Dental Hygiene
By Christina Lieffring
For those not on an insurance plan that covers dental care, regular dental check-ups can be pricey. Skipping out on regular teeth cleanings renders pearly whites to less-than-pearly and off-white. The JCCC Dental Hygiene program’s dental clinic on campus provides a range of services to students, faculty and the general public for only $10.
The first appointment lasts approximately three hours. Margaret LoGiudice, Director of the Dental Hygiene program, said that is because of the range of procedures and because students are being carefully supervised and checked by their instructors.
“It’s not sitting there the entire time, holding your mouth open,” she said. “They might take x-rays during that time. […] There is a patient education portion where we go over what your individual needs are.”
For dental hygiene student Barb Lloyd, who works in the clinic, educating others and watching their health improve as a result has bolstered her passion for her profession.
“Our patients come back and we see how much they grow,” she said. “The client is so happy with how things come out and they learn so much. You can’t help but be passionate about it. ”
Lloyd, through the college, volunteers at local veteran’s hospitals and in the department’s mobile clinic, a bus equipped with two operatories that goes to under served communities. She strongly believes in the importance of oral health in connection with overall systemic health.
Like at a regular dental hygienist office, there are procedures that cannot be done at the clinic and must be done by a dentist, such as dental surgery or pulling teeth. Hygienists deal more with preventative services, according to LoGiudice.
The clinic always needs new clients and with upcoming clinical board exams they need patients who are more of a challenge for the students. This includes people who have not had a cleaning in over a year or who are smokers.
Out of the 140 students who apply to work in the clinic, only 30 are selected. LoGiudice said that for those students, who must balance a heavy course load and volunteer work with their clinical duties, having this experience before graduation is invaluable.
“They are prepared to enter the work force. ”
To schedule an appointment, visit the Dental Clinic in SCI 201 or call 913- 469-3808. Clinic hours are 8am – 5pm, Mon – Thu. The clinical boards are the week after exams, so for those interested, register early. The clinic will be closed for the summer.
Contact Christina Lieffring, staff reporter, at clieffri@jccc.edu.