Officials at SUNY Orange have invited area residents to make use of the low-cost dental hygiene clinic on the community college”™s Middletown campus.
Operated as a learning and training facility for students in the college”™s dental hygiene degree program, the clinic accommodates approximately 1,700 patient visits annually. School officials said patients can visit the clinic, in the Biotech Building on the South Street campus, for dental cleanings and X-rays for a nominal fee. It also provides preventive services such as sealants, nutritional counseling, oral cancer screenings, multiple fluoride therapies and daily oral care. Dental treatment such as fillings, extractions and dentures are not offered.
Only prospective patients who are considered suitable cases for teaching may be accepted, SUNY Orange officials said.
The dental work, performed by a student and supervised by a faculty member, usually will require more time to complete than in a private dental office. The patient must plan on remaining for the entire appointment time and be prepared for several return visits, according to SUNY officials.
In the spring semester that runs from mid-January to early May, the clinic will be open weekdays on this schedule: Mondays, 9 a.m. to noon; Tuesdays, 1 to 5 p.m.; Wednesdays 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m.; Thursdays, 1 to 5 p.m., and Fridays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 5 p.m.
The clinic is closed when the college is not in full session and during the SUNY school”™s summer and semester breaks.
College officials said residents interested in serving as patients during dental hygiene students”™ licensing board exams on May 9 and 10 should contact the clinic at 845-341-4315.
