Penn College

Students serve 2,000-plus patients in Dental Hygiene Clinic

The Dental Hygiene Clinic at Pennsylvania College of Technology provides low-cost preventive dental care to the community and a remarkable, real-world learning environment for students. Credit: Penn College / Penn State. Creative Commons

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Pennsylvania College of Technology students provided dental care to more than 2,000 patients in the college’s Dental Hygiene Clinic during the 2018-19 academic year.

The college’s state-of-the-art Dental Hygiene Clinic is open to the public and provides low-cost services that include cleanings, exams, X-rays and sealants.

Since many patients require more than one visit, the students provided a total of 4,138 patient appointments.

“I enjoy coming to the clinic because it makes me feel encouraged, well taken care of, and the treatment is thorough,” said Beverly Groff, a patient of the clinic for more than 30 years. “I like coming back because the staff is friendly, and I do not feel belittled. I also love telling people about Penn College.”

Penn College dental hygiene students have been providing preventive dental hygiene services for Williamsport and surrounding communities since 1978.

Costs for services include:

  • Cleanings ($5 for Penn College students and senior citizens 55 and over, $10 for children 12 and under, and $15 for adults).
  • Denture examination and full denture cleaning ($5).
  • X-rays ($2-$15).
  • Sealants ($10 for first, $5 for each additional).

“The research is clear that good oral health has a positive impact on our overall health,” said Sandra L. Richmond, dean of nursing and health sciences. “We are very proud at Penn College to provide dental cleanings, exams, X-rays and sealants for our community members.”

To learn more about services offered at the Dental Hygiene Clinic, visit www.pct.edu/dentalclinic or call 570-327-4500 to schedule an appointment.

The Dental Hygiene Clinic is open during the school year — typically September through April — and is staffed by licensed dentists and dental hygienists. Before providing patient care in the clinic, each student has extensive training and must demonstrate competency in clinical skills.

“The dental hygiene program helps meet the oral health needs of the community by providing low-cost preventive care, which results in an amazing, real-world learning environment for the students,” said Shawn A. Kiser, director of dental hygiene.

Penn College offers an associate degree in dental hygiene and is one of two higher education institutions in Pennsylvania that offer a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene. Registered dental hygienists, who already hold an associate degree, can complete their bachelor’s degree coursework online. For more information about these and other degrees offered by the college’s School of Nursing & Health Sciences, call 570-327-4519 or visit www.pct.edu/nhs.

For information about Penn College, a national leader in applied technology education, visit www.pct.edu, email admissions@pct.edu or call toll-free 800-367-9222.

Last Updated September 30, 2019