|
|
|
Amber McCabe from Healdton is part of a growing movement to provide dental care for rural communities.
McCabe is a dental hygienist student at the Southern Oklahoma Technology Center. The program is offered through the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry.
“I’m going to give that back to the community for giving me what I have today,” she said.
Yet, she is getting started before graduation. The local chapter of the Student American Dental Hygienists’ Association, of which McCabe is a member, is working with the Oklahoma Dental Foundation to bring the foundation’s mobile dental van to Ardmore.
While dental hygiene students are required to work in the community such as running booths at health fairs, each chapter of the SADHA has been asked to perform a community service project this fall.
The van travels across the state providing health care free of charge to patients under 21 who do not have a dental home.
The chapter members voted to bring the van to Ardmore, becoming the first dental hygiene program to host it. Their goal is to screen 75 patients.
“We are interested in serving the underserved of the Ardmore community,” said Christy McCullers, dental hygiene site coordinator.
Dr. Kim Hill will do screenings for patients from noon to 4 p.m. Friday.
During the screenings, Hill will assess the state of disease progression. Patients will be chosen based on the extent of treatment needed.
Patients with uncontrolled blood pressure or on antibiotic medication cannot be treated.
Selected patients will return for appointments between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Nov. 21 to receive treatment.
Hill will see 15 to 20 patients for restorative work in the van. Four dental hygienists, McCullers, Bree Wilson, Brandi Hull and Lindsey Hays, will perform preventative work inside the SOTC facility, seeing from 50 to 55 patients.
Students will be on hand to assist with charting, sterilization, disinfection, paperwork and entertainment for the kids.
ODF will provide the necessary paperwork and restorative supplies.
To ask questions, contact McCullers at (580) 224-8268.
Jennifer Lindsey
221-6536
Amber McCabe from Healdton is part of a growing movement to provide dental care for rural communities.
McCabe is a dental hygienist student at the Southern Oklahoma Technology Center. The program is offered through the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry.
“I’m going to give that back to the community for giving me what I have today,” she said.
Yet, she is getting started before graduation. The local chapter of the Student American Dental Hygienists’ Association, of which McCabe is a member, is working with the Oklahoma Dental Foundation to bring the foundation’s mobile dental van to Ardmore.
While dental hygiene students are required to work in the community such as running booths at health fairs, each chapter of the SADHA has been asked to perform a community service project this fall.
The van travels across the state providing health care free of charge to patients under 21 who do not have a dental home.
The chapter members voted to bring the van to Ardmore, becoming the first dental hygiene program to host it. Their goal is to screen 75 patients.
“We are interested in serving the underserved of the Ardmore community,” said Christy McCullers, dental hygiene site coordinator.
Dr. Kim Hill will do screenings for patients from noon to 4 p.m. Friday.
During the screenings, Hill will assess the state of disease progression. Patients will be chosen based on the extent of treatment needed.
Patients with uncontrolled blood pressure or on antibiotic medication cannot be treated.
Selected patients will return for appointments between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Nov. 21 to receive treatment.
Hill will see 15 to 20 patients for restorative work in the van. Four dental hygienists, McCullers, Bree Wilson, Brandi Hull and Lindsey Hays, will perform preventative work inside the SOTC facility, seeing from 50 to 55 patients.
Students will be on hand to assist with charting, sterilization, disinfection, paperwork and entertainment for the kids.
ODF will provide the necessary paperwork and restorative supplies.
To ask questions, contact McCullers at (580) 224-8268.
Jennifer Lindsey
221-6536
