Jan. 26, 2011

HARRISBURG – Parents who may be underinsured in dental coverage or who are uninsured can bring their children, ages 6-14, for a free oral health exam, sealant procedures and restorative procedures on Sealant Saturday, Feb. 19.

Second-year HACC students in dental hygiene, dental assisting and expanded function dental auxiliary areas of study with volunteer dentists and hygienists will begin at 9 a.m. at HACC’s dental hygiene clinic on the Harrisburg Campus of HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, One HACC Drive.

Scheduling an appointment is recommended. Parents and legal guardians can contact the clinic at 717-780-2441 or 1-800-222-4222, ext. 2441. Walk-ins can be seen at 9 and 11:30 a.m. The HACC dental hygiene clinic is on the first floor of the Select Medical Health Education Pavilion.

The students, together with volunteer dentists and licensed dental hygienists, some who are HACC alumni, will perform a routine oral exam. They will determine if a sealant (a thin hard coating that helps protect teeth from decay) can be applied to the chewing surfaces of the patient’s back teeth. Sealants cannot be applied to teeth that already have decay.

Minor restorative care, such as fillings, may be performed.

Volunteer dentists for the event are members of the Harrisburg Area Dental Society.

Sealant Saturday is a statewide service sponsored by the Pennsylvania Dental Hygienists’ Association. Sealant material is supplied by Dentsply Professional Division in York and fluoride varnish provided by Premier in Plymouth Meeting. Other dental supplies are provided by dental insurer United Concordia in Harrisburg and Benco Dental headquartered in Pittston.

HACC’s dental hygiene students, who are student members of the Pennsylvania Dental Hygienists’ Association, strive to improve the public's health, advance the art and science of dental hygiene by increasing awareness, and ensure access to cost-effective quality oral health care.