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Owens Dental Program offers free dental services for children
during Give Kids A Smile Day, Feb. 3
Oral hygiene X-rays and fillings will be the focus of free
dental appointments at Owens Community College as more
than 150 area elementary and high school students’ teeth are
transformed to pearly whites during the nationwide Give Kids
A Smile Day on Friday, Feb. 3, 2012.
Owens’ Dental Hygiene program, in collaboration with the Toledo
Dental Society, will be offering a day of free dental services
for children with limited or no access to care ages six months
to 18 from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 1-4 p.m. at the College’s Dental
Hygiene Clinic. The clinic is located in Health Technologies
Hall on the Toledo-area Campus.
Additionally, Toledo Dental Society dentists and Expanded
Functions Dental Auxiliary will provide restorative treatments
such as fillings and extractions for patients on Feb. 17.
Give Kids A Smile Day is a national initiative by the American
Dental Association, which is dedicated to focusing attention on
the epidemic of untreated oral disease among disadvantaged
children. Held each February in conjunction with National
Children’s Dental Health Month, Give Kids A Smile Day provides
free oral health education, screening and treatment services to
children from low-income families across the country.
“Owens Community College’s Dental Hygiene program is excited to
once again participate in such a worthwhile endeavor and provide
dental services to individuals in need,” said Beth Tronolone,
Owens Chair of Dental Hygiene. “Give Kids A Smile Day is also a
wonderful opportunity to raise the importance and awareness of
preventive dental care such as flossing, brushing and regular
dental visits. Our goal is give each attendee a positive dental
experience and help them feel comfortable smiling again.”
Owens Dental Hygiene second-year students, faculty and alumni,
and area dentists will be conducting dental services, which will
include dental education and screening, X-rays, oral prophylaxis
(cleanings), limited restorations and dental sealants. In
addition, first-year students from the health program will
provide educational presentations for parents and children.
The College’s Dental Hygiene program provides more than 40
students with a fully accredited, scientifically current and
competency-based curriculum annually. Students receive classroom
instruction as well as hands-on experience in the Dental Hygiene
Clinic, while preparing to sit for the national, state or
regional exam in dental hygiene. Owens’ program also offers
dental services to area residents through its Dental Hygiene
Clinic. The 20-chair clinic is staffed by dental hygiene
students and supervised by licensed dental professionals at
Owens, and appointments are available during the fall and spring
semesters for a $30 fee.
Individuals interested in receiving free dental service are
encouraged to contact the College’s Dental Hygiene Clinic at
(567) 661-7294 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 7294. Appointment
reservations must be made prior to the event.
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