The Dental Hygiene program is committed to serving the community’s oral health needs. The addition of the program’s Mobile Dental Unit (MDU), a bus with operatories, allows TWU Dental Hygiene students, staff, and faculty to go out and serve even more of our local community.

Recently, the Mobile Dental Unit was able to attend the Veteran’s Boot Camp hosted at Athens Regional Park. The event was held by the McMinn County Veteran Services Office as a collection of resources for the veterans. Dr. Randa Colbert, Dental Hygiene Program Director; Tammy Bonnough, Dental Hygiene Administrative Assistant; Dr. Ed Guion, clinic dentist; and 10 dental hygiene students were able to attend the event. They offered education; screening for decay, periodontal disease, and oral cancer; and cleanings to the attendees of the event.

This event was the first time the Mobile Dental Unit has been utilized since its completion. Bailee Samsel, Dental Hygiene Class President, was excited that she and her fellow classmates were able to serve our veterans. She feels that it is of great importance that the students can volunteer their time and serve the community.

“Our faith and service are extremely important to the dental hygiene department and students within the program…we had a wonderful time with our local veterans,” said Samsel. “Although we only administered care to three individuals, we had the chance to schedule more than 10 veterans and their spouses for dental care appointments this summer.”

The Mobile Dental Unit gives our Dental Hygiene program the capability to expand the program’s reach.

“I believe we are extremely fortunate to be able to have our MDU as a resource because we are able to reach more of our community and be accessible with our services,” continued Samsel. “It helps spread the word to others who might not know about the care we provide in our clinic located on campus.”

The Mobile Dental Unit will partner with St. Mary’s Legacy Mobile Clinic to provide dental hygiene services to St. Mary’s patients on the third Thursday in June and July. The services will be provided at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Athens. The plans are in progress for the MDU to travel to schools in the area in the fall to provide services and education to children.