Mississippi Delta Community College’s Dental Hygiene department is looking to get the word out about its programs.
The staff, of course, would love to see new students, but they also want to reconnect with the surrounding communities in order to bring oral health back to the forefront of people’s minds after two years of COVID isolation.
“We used to go to all of the different elementary schools,” said MDCC Dental Hygiene Instructor Linda Hiter. “There used to be health fairs everywhere. We participated in those.”
Founded two decades ago, the program has not only taught their students about the importance of healthy teeth, but the staff and students have been instrumental in spreading the good news of oral health as well, something that was stifled during COVID.
“Oral health is so important,” Hiter said. “It’s linked with diabetes, pneumonia and respiratory problems.”
Hiter said that MDCC’s program focuses on preventative health.
“If you’ve got some major problems and you want to save your teeth or bone loss, we work on the preventative,” she said.
MDCC student Tamiya Johnson and Dr. Joel Gibson go over a patient’s file last week.
MDCC Dental Hygiene Clinic offers a variety of services such as cleanings, exams, x-rays, fluoride treatment and sealants for people of all ages. They also will help patients find a dental home for restorative work.
The clinic also offers community oral health education programs. These provide students with the knowledge of proper care of teeth, how to prevent cavities and maintain a healthy smile as well as the relationship between diseases and oral health.
Being that February is National Children’s Dental Health Month, MDCC desires to raise awareness about oral health for children.
A dependable source for children and adults that don’t have access to dental care, MDCC’s goal for the year is to reach further into the community so that individuals can reap from these benefits.
“My big passion is the community classes I teach, I teach two of those,” Hiter said “We go out into the public and like to do programs, rural health education programs.”
The clinic hours for the spring semester are Monday – Thursday at 8 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. & 12:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Wednesdays are 8 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
These hours vary by semester.
