ETSU’s Dental Hygiene clinic opened free cleanings to all ETSU students this year, expanding on their previous program.
According to program director Tabitha Fair, all students can seek preventative dental care at little to no cost. In previous programs, free procedures were offered to senior citizens with small charges being applied to students and members of the community. Now students are only charged for certain extras, like record reproduction.
According to the Dental Hygiene Program website, students may not receive care as quickly as they might in a professional office, but will pay a fraction of the cost.
In order to take advantage of these resources, each student must come in for an initial intake appointment. Patients undergo screenings on the condition of their dental health and are then assigned to students that are experienced enough to suit their needs. Each group of student workers is supervised by program faculty and an on-site dentist to ensure that every patient gets the care they need.
Once intake is complete, the next appointment will be set for a cleaning and further procedures such as dental charting, oral cancer screening and fluoridation.
While these resources are useful, this clinic isn’t intended to replace your regular dentist. Advanced procedures and surgeries may be required by some patients, so the clinic provides information and referrals to nearby professionals.
If X-ray images are required by the office that a student is being referred to, the clinic charges a fee based on the image that is being reproduced. Fees are paid in-clinic during the appointment.
Price and procedure information is also available on the patient information page of the Dental Hygiene Program website. Clinic hours are from 8:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m on Monday, Wednesday and Friday of the academic year. For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit Lamb Hall, room 70, or call 423-423-4514.
