The ULM Dental Hygiene Program recently received $2,500, its sixth grant from Entergy, for the Mobile Dental Hygiene Unit.

Roderick Worthy is the Entergy customer service manager who helps assist the Mobile Dental Hygiene Unit at ULM with monetary support.

Jordan Anderson, assistant professor for the department of dental hygiene, said “this donation is to help support the provision of supplies for dental hygiene treatment across Northeast Louisiana”. She is the Mobile Unit Coordinator.

The Mobile Unit has been in use since 2010 and its first patients were at Jack Hayes Elementary.

They treat patients who are in need of dental hygiene care, but would not be able to receive it if the Mobile Unit were not in place.

Taylor Morace, senior dental hygiene major, said, “I think it’s wonderful because without the donation we would not be able to continue to provide treatment to our community”.

Treatment has been provided to several Northeast Louisiana parishes: Ouachita, Morehouse, Caldwell, East Carroll, and Richland by dental hygiene students and a ULM dental hygiene instructor.
Students begin helping with the unit the summer semester of their senior year.

“It’s always a great experience to take a rotation at the mobile unit. It’s a fun atmosphere and the patients are always so awesome to work with,” Morace said.

The students’ schedules are divided up so that they get the opportunity to treat patients at different locations.

Services provided by students are: teeth cleaning, x-rays, fluoride treatments, sealants, oral cancer screenings, patient education, and nutritional counseling.

“This continued support from Entergy allows the Mobile Unit to continue with patient education supplies such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, and floss and so we can continually provide dental hygiene treatment throughout the community,” Anderson said.

There are three clinician chairs on the mobile unit, so they are able to treat three patients at once.

Since 2010, the Mobile Unit has treated over 1000 patients.

The mobile unit is usually parked at a school so most patients are pediatric and adolescent students, but anyone who wants treatment can call to schedule an appointment.

The Dental Hygiene students and professors are all so appreciative of the continuous donation to the program.