Has your wallet suffered a little lately and you’ve had to put off getting your teeth cleaned for too long? Maybe you just don’t like going to the dentist at all, but now is the time to go!

Del Mar College’s Dental Hygiene Program is here to help, offering free clinical services this fall semester.

The Dental Hygiene Clinic offers a range of services including medical history taking, blood pressure screenings, intraoral examinations, preliminary dental examinations, periodontal examinations, dental hygiene education, oral cancer screenings, x-rays, fluoride treatments (as needed), selective polishing, conservative periodontal therapy, dental hygiene therapy and dental sealants.

“The dental hygiene clinic benefits Coastal Bend residents who require the services offered by the college while also providing our students with the hands-on training they need to enter the profession,” said Eva Sepulveda, director of DMC Dental Programs. “Because it is a free community service, our students will prepare for careers as dental hygienists and provide services that meet specific dental needs of the patients who utilize the clinic.”

Services will begin on September 9 and run through December, but now is the right time to register as patients using student-provided services will still have to register compulsorily for a longer period.

The clinic provides dental hygiene students with the hands-on experience and required hours they need to complete the program. Students performing procedures are under the supervision of the program’s faculty, and patient care typically requires more than one visit.

Patient selection is based on the educational and clinical requirements of the dental hygiene students. The DMC faculty decides on patient admission after a “qualification appointment”.

Detailed information regarding patient selection, appointment times and other relevant information can be found on the clinic’s website at www.delmar.edu/offices/dental-clinic/index.html.

To schedule a “qualification appointment,” call 361-698-2854 or email [email protected].