The last time I had a dental cleaning was several years ago. (Luckily, all 32 of my teeth are intact and without cavities. However, it’s generally not a good idea to go that long without a checkup.) Most people (myself included) regularly drink soda, coffee or tea, which can quickly wear down enamel and stain your teeth. Unfortunately, dental visits can be very expensive — and my health insurance doesn’t cover them. That’s when I learned about the Community Dental Clinic at Eastern Florida State College, open to students and the public. After a great experience getting a haircut at the EFSC Cosmetology Salon, I decided to drop by the dental clinic to see what it was about. This is what happened:
The Experience
I walked into the office during work hours and was greeted by a receptionist. The waiting room looked just like what you would find in a standard dentist or doctor’s office. I inquired about getting a cleaning done, and I was given some forms to fill out that help the staff determine whether you qualify for the services they provide. As I was doing that, I noticed that the prices for adult X-rays and cleanings are really inexpensive: only $20 for a full mouth series of X-rays, and $15 for a cleaning!
I was given a brief explanation of how the program works. Basically, you have to sign your life away and become a lab rat to get inexpensive dental work done. Just kidding! But this is where the clinic differs from a regular dentist’s office, because the people who treat your teeth are all EFSC students working under the supervision of professional hygienists and dentists. They earn their grades by doing practical work on patients from the College and the community. Instead of individual rooms, the clinic is comprised of one big room with dividers for privacy.
Because it’s a learning experience for the students, visits can take a little bit longer than they would in a regular dentist’s office (and like me, you may need to make multiple visits), but I felt like I was in good hands the whole time!
The Result
To find out more about the program, I also chatted with one of the students. I learned that they classify patients on a scale:
- A: Great oral hygiene.
- B: Good, but could be better.
- C: You need to take care of your teeth more!
During my first visit, my hygienist determined that I fell into the B class, and I made an appointment to come back later for a more detailed analysis of my teeth. At the end of that second visit, I had my X-rays taken and was scheduled to begin the cleaning process the following week. Because of the class of my teeth, my cleaning would involve a deep scaling, which costs $30. It was a slow process, but it was well worth it since it had been a while. They even finished the cleaning with a polish and a fluoride treatment!
Did I mention that the staff and students are very professional and super friendly? Even though the overall process of getting my teeth cleaned took a few visits, it was a great experience, and the clinic is truly a great resource. They don’t handle major procedures, like root canals or extractions, but they’re wonderful if you need basic procedures done. If you’re like me and want to save some money while maintaining your dental health, go check them out on the Cocoa Campus, and help those students get their grades!
Want to learn more about the dental programs offered at EFSC? Check out our Dental Assisting Certificate, Dental Assisting Technology and Management A.S. or Dental Hygiene A.S. programs!
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