In an effort to make local children smile a little brighter and provide Dixie State University students with hands-on learning opportunities, the university’s Dental Hygiene Department is hosting the Give Kids a Smile event from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 30, at the DSU Dental Hygiene Clinic. The event will provide free dental hygiene treatments to uninsured children in the St. George area who don’t have Medicaid.
“Many low-income children in the St. George area are without dental insurance or Medicaid,” said Patricia Wintch, chair of Dixie State’s Dental Hygiene Program. “Through the generosity of local dentists, the Henry Schein Company and the DSU Dental Hygiene program, children who may have gone without will have their smiles restored and diseases treated.”
Free dental treatments available at the event include exams, X-rays, fillings, extractions, sealants, cleanings and fluoride.
The Henry Schein Dental Supply Company and 16 local dentists are partnering with DSU’s Dental Hygiene Department to make the event possible. Dental supply personnel, hygienists, assistants, and DSU dental hygiene faculty and students have all volunteered to help with the event to ensure the participating children receive the best treatment and have a positive experience.
This year will mark the eighth year the DSU Dental Hygiene Department and its volunteers have been changing children’s lives one smile at a time.
“It is so gratifying, as oral health professionals, to be able to provide dental treatment for children who have no other options,” Wintch said.
In addition to Give Kids a Smile, the Dental Hygiene Department participates in a variety of community-outreach programs that are educational for students and beneficial to community members. For example, students and instructors take the university’s mobile clinic to the Department of Workforce Services office and offer free X-rays, screenings, and cleanings to job seekers, giving them the confidence they need to excel at their next interviews.
Additionally, the Dental Hygiene Department takes the mobile clinic to area care centers and sets up a portable clinic inside the facilities to provide dental hygiene treatments to patients who aren’t able to get out and visit dentists. Students also visit elementary schools and teach kids about the importance of practicing good oral hygiene.
The DSU Dental Hygiene Clinic in located in the Russell C. Taylor Health Science Center at 1526 Medical Center Drive. To learn more about Dixie State University’s Dental Hygiene Department, visit dixie.edu/health/dental/index.php.
