Got Teeth?
By Denae Ayala and David Garcia
Do you hate making expensive trips to the dentist?
Well the next time you’re on campus and you see a group of people in blue scrubs, do not run! They are here for you and your teeth.
The Taft College Dental Hygiene Clinic offers FREE treatment available to students, faculty, and staff of TC.
If you are not a student or faculty member don’t worry, for just $20 you can receive treatment on your teeth. The treatments that are offered are oral cancer screenings, patient education, complete cleaning, fluoride treatment, X-rays, sealants, impressions, and a new toothbrush. A standard teeth cleaning and X-rays at your local dentist office start at an average of $100.
By coming into the TC Dental Hygiene Clinic you are not only saving money, but you are also helping out the students participating in the program.
Twenty students are accepted per class and only second year students are allowed to work on patients’ teeth. About 35-85 people apply to the program per year. To get into the program you have to be selected by the selection committee. 10 are selected by GPA and recommendations.
Depending on a patients needs, appointments can be up to 4 hours long.
Student Michelle Lawhe is working on her second semester in the program. She said the program is very awarding,
“It’s heavy on your body, but it’s worth it,” she said. This semester she is seeing two patients a week.
When asked what was the most stressful thing to deal with it was not teeth, “the most stressful thing is finding the right patient.”
It is the students responsibility to go out and find patients.
If you want treatment you can call 661-763-7706 to make an appointment.
