SANDY HOOK, Ky. (LEX 18) – About 65 students from the UK College of Dentistry were at Elliott County Schools on Monday, providing free dental services to students. UK student Tristian Hash says: “As dentists, we really care about them as a person and want them to have the best hope they can.”
For students in the UK, it is the first time many of them have worked with a real patient, and for students in the rural county, it is the first time many of them have received dental care.
Another UK student, Joshua Howells, explains: “It was a great experience. I think it really helped us take a leap of faith, but also just reinforce what we learned in class.”
About 93 Elliott County students will benefit. The superintendent of this district explains that students do not have access to regular dental care. District leaders say the school system is a central gathering place and it’s important to be able to offer opportunities like this.
Natalie Moore of Elliott County Schools says, “We don’t have a dentist in Elliott County and it can be a little difficult for some of these kids to navigate to get to a dentist, so I think this is important that they may receive to be seen and to perform some service.”
Students in the UK got to apply the skills they learned in the classroom, but they also learned more about the importance of getting to know patients.
UK student Bron Bourque says: “One of the little kids we had today told us he didn’t have a toothbrush because he couldn’t afford one, so things like that really come out and you start to understand how Important Care is in this area”.
For many UK students, this event affirmed why they are looking to go into this profession.
Another student, Baker Kendrick, says, “There are more soft skills that have to go into this. You have to learn how to calm a child down, be their friend and show them that the dentist isn’t really scary. and that’s another part of the job, but that’s probably just as important. If you want to give them good care, you have to have them cooperative and you have to have them comfortable first.”
The UK students also wanted to break down any fear and stigma around dentistry. Children should learn more about the importance of dental health and show off their smiles.
Bourque says, “Well, we had a little girl who was so excited. She absolutely jumped on the table, and at the end, she said she wanted to be a dentist, and I’m excited, hopefully one day, to call her.” a colleague”.
