Health & Human Services Careers - Dental Hygiene Clinic

(517) 483-1458  Health and Human Services Building -
Room 107 - 515 N Washington Square

Through the expertise of dedicated student dental hygienists, licensed dental hygiene faculty and clinic dentists, the Lansing Community College Dental Hygiene Clinic serves hundreds of people each year.

Services offered include:

• Comprehensive Dental Hygiene Care


• Dental Health Instruction


• Fluoride and Sealant Application


• X-rays


• Oral Health Screenings

Fees for Dental Hygiene Care

Interested?

General Clinic Information

The Dental Hygiene Clinic at Lansing Community College offers preventive dental hygiene services  the public. The program provides dental hygiene care to almost 2,000 people annually. This care is made possible by the Dental Hygienist Program of the College, which provides education to students for future practice in private dental offices, hospitals, and public health agencies.

The clinic does not provide restorative dentistry (fillings), oral surgery (removal of teeth), orthodontics (braces), or dentures. For those dental services, or other dental care that you may need, we will provide referral information to direct you to a resource for providing that care.

Because the Dental Hygiene Program is designed and maintained for teaching procedures, scheduling and dental hygiene services differ from those of a private dental office.  Those accepted for treatment are patients whose dental problems have teaching value and who have the extra time required for treatment.  All dental care is performed by student dental hygienists who are carefully supervised by licensed dental hygiene faculty and a clinic dentist.  Therefore, the instructors constantly review and evaluate the treatment rendered by the student which affects the length of visits and the number of appointments required.

Before you decide if you wish to be considered for treatment, please read the following information that describes what you may expect as a patient in the Dental Hygiene Clinic.

Becoming a clinic patient

As a possible patient, you must first have a free dental screening. A dental screening allows the clinical faculty a brief assessment of your oral health needs to ensure that you meet the needs of a teaching institution and that a student can be assigned to you that has the skills necessary to care for you.  To schedule a free screening appointment, please call (517) 483-1458. Screenings take place in the clinic Tuesday  - Thursday by appointment. Screenings are not required for potential patients under age 21 or for patients are current patients of record. After your screening, a student will be able to schedule appointments for you.  For more information call the clinic office at (517) 483-1458. 

If an appointment is not available  following your screening, you will be notified by phone when an appointment becomes available. The length of the wait for this first appointment can be one to several weeks, depending upon the time in the school year and your individual oral health needs.

Patients with a medical or dental condition that hinders proper treatment may not be acceptable for a clinic appointment (i.e., high blood pressure, heart murmur and no pre-medication).  Children under five (5) years of age are not considered mature enough for clinical care in this teaching clinic and all children age 12 or under must be accompanied by an adult.  minors (under 18 years of age) must have the Medical/Dental History form signed by a parent or legal guardian at each appointment and before services are rendered.

Appointments and services

Your first appointment will begin with a screening examination, to determine which of your dental needs can be met in the Dental Hygiene Clinic. Our services may include:

• Medical and Dental History


• Blood Pressure Reading


• Intra and Extra Oral Examination


• Oral Health Education


• Radiographs (x-ray pictures)


• Prophylaxis (cleaning of teeth)


• Root Planning

A specific plan for your treatment will be explained to you. With the aid of x-ray pictures, if needed, a faculty member and student will determine your dental condition and recommend a general              
outline of dental hygiene treatment and a way to complete it.  Generally a complete prophylaxis (tooth cleaning) for a patient who has regular dental care requires a minimum of one to two appointments of two to four hours each.

Patients should arrange an appointment with a dentist of their choice for a comprehensive oral examination and diagnosis following completion of the services provided at this clinic. The dental hygiene clinic does not provide a comprehensive dental exam for patients. X-ray pictures will be taken after review of the medical/dental history.  Need for x-ray pictures is approved by the faculty dental hygienist or clinic dentist and is dependent upon the presence or absence of dental decay, gum disease, and frequency of dental visits.

Your radiographs (x-ray pictures) will be mailed to your dentist upon your request or your dentist's request to our receptionist.  Radiographs are not released to the patient and can only be released to the requesting dentist if the patient has signed the Health Information Protection (HIPPA) forms.  We require five (5) working days to process and mail your radiographs to your dentist.  The patient should expect that their dentists will charge a fee for diagnosing the radiographs and the planning of the patient's treatment based on their findings.

Payment for services rendered

A reasonable fee is charged for all dental hygiene care provided by the Dental Hygiene Clinic. One fee is charged regardless of the number of appointments required to complete your care. Fees
are to be paid at the first appointment. Dental insurance is honored and questions and procedures for insurance coverage should be directed to the dental receptionist. Please be sure to discuss this with the dental receptionist prior to your first appointment. Payment may be made in cash or by check. Charge cards are not accepted. Ask the clinic receptionist for the current fee schedule.