MSU Texas providing free dental cleanings for veterans

WICHITA FALLS, Texas (KAUZ) - While Veterans Day has come and gone, dental hygiene students at Midwestern State University are hard at work this week serving those who have served our country with a week of free teeth cleanings for veterans.

Students said it’s the least they can do for the men and women who have served our country, and it serves as a great learning experience.

“I think this is a great opportunity for not only the students to be able to talk with people who have some history that they may not have heard before. They see a lot of patients their own age, being college students, so this will get them out of their realm of comfort and seeing some older patients that haven’t maybe had that experience on before,” Dental Hygiene Department Chair, Dr. Jill Young said.

“I know that I’m going to get a really good cleaning today. It may take longer for them, but in terms of the services that they provide out here are excellent.”

The Gaines Dental Hygiene Clinic offers plenty of affordable services by allowing students to practice some real dental work, and this week they’re dedicating themselves to helping local veterans.

“Us being a community that is, not necessarily surrounded around the Air Force base, but we have a lot of veterans in our community, we thought this would be a good way to honor them by having a veterans’ hygiene clinic this week,” Dr. Young said.

Dr. Barbara DeBois, is a veteran herself, and was also the Chair of the Dental Hygiene Department, so she knows she can trust these students to get the job done right.

“I know that I’m going to get a really good cleaning today. It may take longer for them, but in terms of the services that they provide out here are excellent,” Dr. DeBois said.

“Part of me is here because, ok, I’m a vet, but then also because I was in this department for 40 years. It’s kind of exciting, it’s the first time I’ve been back since I retired, in this position, on this side of the chair, so it’s exciting for me,” Dr. DeBois said.

The clinic still has more spots open this week, but you need to call ahead to set up the appointment at (940 397-4737.

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