On the heels of the dedication of the Wilhelm Dental Hygiene Program over Homecoming Weekend, the Dental Hygiene program at TWU arrived in the community of Madisonville to provide free dental health screenings at the First United Methodist Church in Madisonville on Monday, November 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. In addition to providing free dental screenings,  follow-up appointments were given as needed with an Athens dental hygiene facility, church officials said. Patients were accepted on a first-come first-serve basis in the lower parking lot of the church off Tellico Street. No limitations, age or otherwise, was needed to qualify for a screening and no insurance was required. There is a direct correlation between oral health and overall health.

Health officials pointed put that uncontrolled bacteria in the mouth can multiply and enter the bloodstream, affecting other parts of the body. Gum disease in particular has been linked to heart disease, diabetes, respiratory ailments, and in some cases even Alzheimer’s disease. TWU is always happy to play its part in providing these critical services to the communities we serve.