Free dental care on way from UMKC

Staff at a dental screening held Saturday at the University of Missouri-Kansas City helped an attendee (Photo courtesy of UMKC)

Mike Sherry – The Hale Center for Journalism

Dental students at the University of Missouri-Kansas City are set to provide free services for low-income individuals next month.

The students selected 240 patients during a day-long event at the school Saturday.

Students selected the participants from approximately 350 individuals who showed up at the event. Organizers said they were pleased with the turnout, even though bad weather kept numbers below last year.

The main objective, according to university spokeswoman Stacy Downs, was to identify individuals who could receive treatment from the seniors as part of the clinical boards exam they need to pass for state licensure.

The test is scheduled for late March, and 105 students have signed up.

Students will be providing small fillings and deep cleanings, Downs said.

The hope, she said, is that all the patients selected will receive care as part of the exam or through the clinic at the UMKC School of Dentistry.

“This is the last step in our four years of dental education, and it’s the most fun and rewarding part,” Brett Waite, president of the senior class of dental students, said in a news release. “The screenings leading to the licensing exams connect us to the community we serve.”