Community Conversations: Maintaining Oral Health and Finding Dental Care

DES MOINES, Iowa – October is National Dental Hygiene Month.

Dental hygienists not only clean our teeth, but also educate and help us maintain our oral health.

Cinthia Naranjo was joined by registered dental hygienists Mary Kelly and Jennifer Faux.

They talked about the job of a hygienist, how oral care affects our overall health, and finding dental care.

Access to dental care:

Finding dental care with Medicaid and Medicare can be difficult. Mary Kelly works in dental public health. She shared the clinics that are accepting new patients and insurance; Broadlawns Dental Clinic, Dental Connections and Primary Health (they have offices in Urbandale, Des Moines, Ames and Marshalltown).

I-Smile is a statewide program managed by the Iowa Department of Public Health. The program allows coordinators to provide community resources and dental and medical care to students in schools. They provide dental screenings and fluoride, help coordinate dentist appointments, educate students about oral health and more. According to the site, they have 23 coordinators in our state. Find your coordinator here.

Apex Dental organizes a dental day every year called Operation Give Back. The dental practice offers free cleanings, fillings and extractions. You can check their website and Facebook page for their next dental day in 2024.

You can also go to the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services website to find a provider.

Reduced preventive care visits:

There are many community colleges throughout the state that offer discounted dental services to the public. This includes Des Moines Area Community College, Kirkwood, Iowa Central, Indian Hills, Iowa Western and Hawkeye Community College.

Oral cancer control:

Dental hygienists also do an oral cancer screening during a dentist appointment. According to the CDC, HPV is a common sexually transmitted infection and can cause serious health problems, including oral cancer. Hygienists can often catch or spot the signs of cancer.