Students in the University of New England’s dental hygiene program are doing their part to provide good dental care at low cost to people throughout Maine.
The Dental Hygiene Clinic, located at UNE’s Westbrook College Campus at 716 Stevens Avenue, Portland, is open from September through April during weekdays. For appointments, the public can call (207) 797-8999 Monday-Thursday between 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The UNE Dental Hygiene Clinic is a teaching clinic so appointments may require more time than a typical dentist’s office. The fees, charged to offset the cost of operating the clinic, depend on the patient’s age and needs. For patients age 12 and under, the fee averages $20, and for patients age 13 and over, the fee averages $30. There is also a discount for senior citizens. Normal cleanings at dentist offices in the area can cost up to $100.
For over 30 years, the campus has been providing preventive dental services including teeth cleaning, oral inspection, x-rays, fluoride treatment and sealant placement by students working under the direct supervision of the dental hygiene faculty. With some 5,000 patient visits per year, the Clinic sees patients, in all age ranges, from as far away as Kittery, Bethel and Camden.
Director Bernice Mills said, "We have patients that have been coming to the Dental Hygiene Clinic since they were children and are now bring children of their own. Clearly, we’re filling a need in Maine for these services."
Students are typically a mix of individuals from traditional students just out of high school to non-traditional students, including those who are working on a second career, and the majority of them stay here in Maine.