Dental Hygiene students from Ferris State University bring instruction to special needs students
A community outreach program through FSU brings students from the college and area schools together for education on dental hygiene techniques.
An Academic Service Learning grant from the Ferris State University Office of Community Engagement funded a recent outing during which Dental Hygiene students visited special education students from the Mecosta-Osceola Intermediate School District (MOISD). The visit included instruction on effective oral hygiene practices and participants received electric toothbrushes. FSU says the outreach provides a service to the community while giving Dental Hygiene students valuable experience.
The FSU Dental Hygiene program is not new to this kind of community outreach. Students participate in lab rotations during spring and fall semesters, which include visits with MOISD students to provide instruction, according to Assistant Professor of Dental Hygiene Cathy Archer in a recent news release. "This program was available to those attending the MOSID Educational Center, which includes students 26 years of age, and under. This is an excellent inter-professional outreach opportunity that we can offer our students to positively impact both the oral and general health of the center's young people," Archer said.
Archer went on to talk about the value of this outreach to students from both institutions, "That patient interaction has great value in the learning experience for our students. To give the educational center students that kind of consideration and experience, where they learn how to care for their teeth and support their health outcomes is powerful for everyone involved." Archer added, "We also provide electric toothbrushes to our clients at the center. That technology is an important implement for these young people, so they manage their oral hygiene more easily, and our students can feel confident about making a real contribution to better community health."
The most recent stipend awarded by the Office of Community Engagement at FSU was $1,000. The funding covered the costs of this outreach program, and continued the tradition of community education, started by FSU Professor Emeritus Sandra G. Burns.