Dental Hygiene Students Volunteer at Special Olympics Special Smiles Event
June 29, 2012
Since 2000, Mount Ida College’s dental hygiene students have volunteered at Special Olympics Massachusetts’ Summer Games. In continuing this tradition, Professor Robin Matloff, along with 16 dental hygiene students, worked at dental screening stations during the 2012 Summer Games at Harvard University on Saturday, June 16. At the games, student volunteers provided free dental screenings as part of the Special Olympics Special Smiles initiative which increases Special Olympics’ athletes’ access to dental care and raises awareness of the state of their oral health.
Gaining Practical Experience
Dental hygiene students, at this day-long event, created a welcoming, fun environment for Special Olympics’ athletes. Students greeted athletes, assisted with paperwork, taught oral hygiene care, provided fluoride varnishes, and accompanied the Olympians through the various dental hygiene screening stations. During each screening, athletes received a snapshot of their oral health from our highly-skilled students who are trained to prevent and treat oral diseases. By visiting the dental screening stations, athletes received the information they need to make healthier lifestyle choices.
Giving Back to the Community
At the end of the day, the primary goal of dental hygiene students’ volunteer experience was to give back to the Boston community. Through their participation in the event and working alongside Professor Matloff, students served people with intellectual disabilities and learned more about working with this special patient population. In their future careers, our dental hygiene students will be able to provide quality health care to children and adults from all diverse backgrounds, bringing a smile to everyone’s face.
Learn More about Our Dental Hygiene Programs & Dental Clinic
To learn more about our academic programs in Dental Hygiene, click here. If you are interested in taking advantage of our wide range of dental services, visit our Dental Clinic at Mount Ida.