SUNY Orange dental clinic offers low-cost services

Community members are invited to take advantage of the dental hygiene clinic at SUNY Orange in Middletown.

The clinic, which accommodates approximately 1,000 patient visits per year, is operated by the college as a training facility for students in the dental hygiene degree program and provides a low-cost option for cleanings and x-rays.

Patients can visit the clinic in the Bio-Tech building on the Middletown campus, to learn about good oral health practices, have their teeth cleaned and dental x-rays taken for a nominal fee.

In addition to cleanings and x-rays, the clinic provides polishing restorations, sealants, custom fluoride trays, custom athletic mouth guards, nutritional counseling and health history screenings.

Dental treatments such as fillings, extractions, and dentures are not part of the services offered at the clinic.

Hours of operation during the spring semester (mid-January to early May) are:

● Mondays, 9 a.m.-noon

● Tuesdays, 1-5 p.m.

● Wednesdays, 9 a.m.-noon and 1-4 p.m.

● Thursdays, 1-5 p.m.

● Fridays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and 2-5 p.m.

Treatment is performed by a student and supervised by a faculty member. It usually requires more time than if a similar task were to be performed in a private office. The patient must plan on remaining for the entire appointment time and be prepared for several return visits.

Fees are as follows:

● Scaling and polishing for adults, $20; senior citizens, students and veterans, $10; children ages 12 and under, $5

● Complete x-ray series for adults, $20, panoramic x-ray, $20; bite wing x-ray series (four x-rays), $10; periapical x-rays, $5

● Pit and fissure sealants, $5 each

● Athletic mouth guards, $5

● Custom fluoride trays, $5

Students will be taking their licensing board exams on May 5 and 6. Anyone interested in serving as a patient during either of those days should contact the clinic.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 845-341-4315.