February is National Children’s Dental Health Month, and Oregon Institute of Technology’s Dental Hygiene clinic would like to alert the community that the clinic treats both children and adult patients.

The OIT Dental Hygiene clinic offers community members the following services: professional cleaning, x-rays, fluoride, sealants, oral cancer screenings, teeth whitening; and limited restorative services (fillings) are provided.

OIT’s Dental Hygiene Clinic books appointments on Tuesdays and Thursdays at various times in the mornings, afternoons and evenings. To schedule an appointment, call 541.885.1330. Dental Hygiene faculty asks that if patients need to reschedule appointments 24 hours notice is appreciated so that students may book someone else. Students are individually graded on their clinical skills and missed appointments result in a zero grade.

Upcoming Dental Hygiene Projects
• The Klamath Falls Sealant Project provides screening, education, toothbrushes and sealants for second and fifth graders at Mills and Roosevelt Elementary School, and second graders at Fairview Elementary School.

• The King Fluoride Project provides education and weekly fluoride rinses for first and fifth graders at Roosevelt, Fairview, Conger and Mills Elementary School.

• The Guarding Healthy Smiles Project provides free custom made mouth guards for high school athletes at Mazama High School.

• The Generation Smiles Project provides education and preventive treatment for pregnant teens attending Klamath Union and Mazama High School as well as mothers who are eligible for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). Education and training for fluoride varnish application will also be provided for the OBGYN Midwife Center and the doctors in Chiloquin.

• The Screening Smiles Project provides screenings for oral cancer. Self examinations are taught and referrals are also made as needed.

• The Klamath Children’s Dental Clinic (KCDC) Project provides preventive and restorative dental treatment for middle school qualifying for the school lunch program but have no dentist; no dental insurance; and no Oregon Health Plan coverage. Treatment is provided at the OIT dental hygiene clinic. Any complex dental procedures needed are referred out to local dentists who agree to be a part of this project.

Dental hygiene students are responsible for funding their projects through fund raisers, grants and private donations. Recent grants to the dental hygiene program in support of community oral health projects have been made by the Rosie Wall Foundation, the American Dental Hygienist’s Association, The Soroptomist’s and the United Way.

The Dental Hygiene Program seeks patients for the next restorative class in May. To learn more about the Dental Hygiene Clinic at Oregon Institute of Technology visit www.oitdentalhygieneclinic.com.

Klamath Falls