Dental hygiene students give to community
through oral health education projects
By Julie Gray, senior dental hygiene student

Dental hygiene seniors Michelle Banks and Larry Freestone explain the dangers of smokeless tobacco to 6th graders.

The dental hygiene department has for several years implemented a curriculum that reaches out to the community through assigned dental health education projects. This year is no different for the dental hygiene class of 2003.

The students have been involved with projects including educating school children and others on the proper techniques and importance of daily oral hygiene, and bringing awareness of the harmful effects of smoking and smokeless tobacco to people of different age groups, and other oral health awareness topics.

Through the dental health education class, taught by Rhonda Hammerslaugh RDH, BS, and Karen Simpson RDH, MPH, and the tobacco cessation curriculum led by Marilynn Heyde, MPH, RDH, the senior hygiene students have been involved with helping, educating, and motivating the community to bring about well being through better oral health. The students in turn have received personal satisfaction and spiritual growth, as well as increasing their own knowledge and education.

(l-r) Dental hygiene seniors Larry Freestone, Adrian Lugo, and Michelle Banks teach oral health care to local 6th graders.