Open Wide —Your Mouth, Not Your Wallet
by Suzanne Morey

If I told you that spending six hours in the dentist chair would save you money, you’d probably think I was crazy. 

Recently, my husband Skip and I had our teeth cleaned by students in a dental hygiene program at a community college and were pleased with the experience.  After filling out a preliminary health assessment, we were each assigned a student whose level of competence matched our needs.  Since neither of us have medical problems, and are teeth are in good order, we were assigned stsudents in the last semester of their freshman year. 

Seniors work on people with more complex needs.  Our work was done in three-hour sessions on two separate days.

The procedure
During our first visit the students checked our health history and blood pressure and did an oral cancer screening.  They did a detailed inspection of our teeth and gums and made a treatment plan.  Several instructors, who are licensed dental hygienists, answered questions and periodically checked the students’ work.  The actual cleaning was done during the second session, again with inspections by one of the teachers. 

We had fluoride treatments, which the clinic recommends for older patients because many of us have less saliva (dry-mouth) due to various medications.  Saliva guards against cavities.  The students were thorough and professional, careful about cleanliness, using sterilized instruments, washing their hands frequently and wearing sterile gloves.  A dentist checked us after the cleaning was finished.  He determined no further treatment was necessary.  We left with clean teeth and a bag of goodies—toothbrush, floss, toothpaste and mouthwash.  We each paid $25 for the treatment.

Giving and receiving
“This is a good option for people on a fixed income,” says Debbie Gschrey, a hygienist who teaches at the Dental Hygiene Program of Northampton Community College in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, (and supervised the student who worked on my teeth).   “If you have the time, you can get a professional cleaning and evaluation for a fraction of the usual cost.”  Most dental hygienist schools also offer X-rays. 

Gschrey stresses that this is not a substitute for care by your regular dentist--have him or her take care of any problems noted during your cleaning.  “By giving of your time, you help students learn, and you get excellent professional care in return,” says Gschrey.

If you want to save money and have your teeth cleaned and checked professionally, check out a dental hygiene school in your area.

Do you have some interesting ways you have found to save money? We’d love to hear about it, and may include it in a future newsletter.