The dental hygiene program and clinic at State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota (SCF) has purchased new equipment designed to teach students and to care for patients thanks to a $40,000 grant from The Lawrence E. Ruf Commitment to Excellence Fund of the Manatee Community Foundation.
The grant will pay for:
- A Dentsply DXTTR radiographic mannequin head which is used in the classroom. The head allows students to practice panoramic x-rays and to demonstrate competency before entering the clinical setting.
- A Miele thermal washer disinfector to ensure proper cleaning of instruments prior to sterilization.
- Two SciCan Statims which sterilize dental instruments used to provide treatment to patients.
- A Velscope VX oral cancer screening device to be used in the classroom and clinic. The Velscope will allow the clinic’s dentist to provide advanced oral cancer screenings to patients. Students will learn from the process of assisting the dentist and notating any abnormalities and making necessary referrals.
The dental hygiene clinic at SCF provides teeth cleanings, oral examinations, dental X-rays, fluoride and sealants to patients ages 6 and older. Clinic hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday and Friday. Clinic hours during the Spring semester are available Monday through Friday. Care is provided by SCF students under the supervision of licensed dental hygiene instructors and dentists. The cost ranges from $10 per quadrant for sealants to $52 for adult complex cleanings with x-rays. No insurance is required.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call the SCF Dental Hygiene Clinic at 941-752-5353. To support equipment purchases for SCF’s health programs, call Barbara Bourgoin, development director, at 941-752-5398 or bourgob@SCF.edu.
