The Madison College Dental Hygiene Program held a four-hour event on Nov. 11 providing free dental care for children. Volunteer dental hygienists staffed the event.

“We are trying to offer (dental care) to people who don’t have insurance and can’t see a dentist,” said Aaron Simpson, one of the volunteers.
During the event, the volunteers, who came from the broader dental community as well as Madison College’s dental hygiene program, provided dental cleaning, x-rays, and fluoride treatment for kids between the ages of 3 and 18.

Veronica Redloff is another dental hygienist who helped and supported the program. She volunteered that day to help kids get their teeth cleaning done and also because it is fun for her to do it.

The clinic was held on Nov. 11 because the Madison school district was closed, giving parents a chance to bring their kids in for a dental appointment without missing school.

Redloff said that parents and children can use the day off to learn something. “Education is also part of this event because we are trying to teach kids how cleaning teeth is really important,” she said.

Simpson said putting this event together was a little nerve-wracking, but the event went smoothly once it started. The volunteers helped and supported each other.

The program has been held once a year for the past 15 years, but the volunteers would like to do it even more frequently.

“I would like it if we could do it twice a year for fall and spring,” said Susan Kloosterboer, a dental hygiene instructor and one of the organizers of the event.

She said there is a huge need in the community. People who have Badger Care might not be able to see a dentist, because a lot of dentists don’t accept certain insurance. Also, it is good for dental students to practice.

“Doing this event and volunteering is really a reward for us,” Simpson said, “especially doing this event and helping people and the community to keep the kids cleaning.”