Want clean Teeth? Dental Hygiene students want you

By: Taya Stewart
Staff-Writer

Did you know three of four Americans have some form of periodontal gum disease? Don’t be
one of them! Get an affordable and thorough dental appointment in IU South Bend’s own clinic
with your fellow students.

Angie Giron and Alejandra Montoya are two junior dental hygiene students who are just starting
their semester of patient cleanings. They explained that their clinical responsibilities include
scheduling patients, going over patient history, taking radiographs and cleaning and polishing
teeth. They also create goals with the patient to better their oral habits.

The students in the clinic are not yet licensed, but are supervised by licensed dentists and
hygienists. Cleanings, which take place in the Education and Arts dental hygiene clinic are only
$15 for IU South Bend students and $35 for non-IU patients. Giron and Montoya explained that
if money is an issue, they are willing to talk with you and work out payment for treatment.

Students should expect to review their medical and dental history and other documentation
before cleanings can happen. The whole cleaning process can take up to three hours while
students are learning thorough practice. To better prepare, students can contact their student
hygienist and fill out any paperwork in advance to speed up the process.

Getting treatment in the clinic is not only helping the dental hygiene students meet their
requirements, but patients are also getting quality work done with state-of-the-art equipment.

“My favorite part is being able to interact with my patients while also giving them a positive
experience here at the clinic,” Giron said.

Montoya said, “I think the prevention and education aspect is my favorite. I like being able to
help and teach patients about their oral health.”

For appointment availability or more information, contact the clinic phone number at 574-520-4156