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Office of Communications and Government Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179
E-mail: tconn@shawnee.edu

(Article by Phyllis Noah, communications coordinator)


 

            Anyone without dental insurance who needs dental hygiene services can find those services at Shawnee State University at very low costs.
            The services include scaling and polishing teeth, dental x-rays, application of fluoride, application of pit and fissure sealants, patient education, nutritional counseling and periodontal irrigation with chemotherapeutic agents.
            “Patients also will be instructed on both the prevention of disease and maintenance of oral health,” said Nancy Bentley, associate professor and program leader at SSU. “We will refer a patient who has dental needs that we don’t provide to other healthcare providers.”
            The time involved may be longer than at a traditional dental office and the patient may have to return for a second visit. However, for a family that does not have dental insurance, the cost is very reasonable.
            For adults and children, the fee is $10, regardless of the number of visits to complete treatment. For Shawnee State University students, the fee is $5. Fluoride treatment is provided at no charge and pit and fissure sealants are $7 per tooth or $20 for three or more teeth.
            After the initial cleaning and examination, the Dental Clinic will send a reminder to the patients every six months.
            “Although x-rays are provided at no cost, there are additional charges if we have to send the x-rays to their dentist,” Bentley said.
            About 20 students graduate each year from the Dental Hygiene program.
            The program can be completed in five semesters and students will receive an associate’s degree. After the training, students take national boards and a regional examination to become licensed as a dental hygienist.
            “Nationally, there is a huge demand for dental hygienists in communities that are considered underserved,” she said. “In this immediate area, the demand is not that high, but our employment rate in southern Ohio is very good.”
            For more information about the program or to make an appointment at the SSU Dental Clinic, call (740) 351-3236.