Delivering hope through dental service

Putting their training into action, College of Lake County (CLC) dental hygiene students provided free dental care to underserved patients during a Feb. 7-9 service-learning trip to Knoxville, Tennessee. The trip was in collaboration with Remote Area Medical (RAM), a non-profit organization providing medical, vision and dental services to the underserved.

Over $900,000 worth of services were provided for 1,014 patients. Patients received dental cleanings, periodontal treatments and oral cancer screenings.

“Service learning has become a big part of higher education,” said Dental Hygiene Program Director Mary Jacobs. "Students are allowed to practice voluntarily as part of the workforce outside of the classroom. This trip helped them broaden their perspective on health disparity and their role in helping.”

Anna Marshall, a dental hygiene student, chose her field partly because of this trip.

“Before I even applied, I saw a story about this trip on the CLC website and was drawn into the program,” Marshall said. “I have always been interested in a service-oriented career and opportunities to help others in need.”

This is the 13th time CLC students have participated in the trip. The 15 students who participated are all in their last semester of the program, just two months until they take their board exam.

“It seemed like the perfect experience to work on my skills and see how I could do on my own,” Dental Hygiene Student Samantha Villarreal said. “My mentor said it was best part of the entire program, and she was right.”

Before sunrise on Saturday and Sunday, students arrived at the clinic site by 5:30 a.m., ready to put their skills to the test. Working in pairs inside makeshift dental tents, they treated patients for up to several hours at a time, logging more than 20 hours of hands-on care throughout the weekend.

One of the most important aspects this trip provides students with is the chance to work independently. In the classroom, students have someone there checking each step of the process, but during the trip, they were on their own most of the time.

“With no instructors guiding them step-by-step, students relied on their training and judgment, building confidence with each patient they treated,” Dental Hygiene Instructor Danielle Thompson said. “For many, this experience also sparked a lasting passion for public health and community service.”

“It was a really good experience for me to have,” Villarreal said. “It’s easy to not think that these situations are happening, especially if you grew up with access to care. It’s important to understand this is happening even in our own country.”

It was also a great chance for students to use their expertise, giving patients advice so they can maintain oral hygiene.

“We were able to teach patients how to go forward after their cleaning,” Dental Hygiene Student Brian Carranza said. “I showed them how to brush and floss and helped provide nutritional counseling to avoid future dental problems.”

Students contributed to the funding of the trip through bake sales, teeth whitenings and selling spirit wear. Money made from dental cleanings at the college’s Dental Hygiene Clinic at the Lakeshore Campus, which cost $15, also plays a part in funding. These cleanings help provide care to those in need in Lake County.

“Going on this trip made me think about the good the CLC clinic does for the community,” Marshall said. “There are not a lot of places to get low-cost dental services. Our clinic is not just a learning experience for students, but a safety net service that we as a program provide."

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