Dental hygiene clinic serves ISU, public

POCATELLO — Idaho State University, teachers and students in the Arthur D. Tranmer Dental Hygiene Clinic in Pocatello know how to help people smile.

    Each day, students in ISU’s dental hygiene program are practicing their skills and learning new techniques in a very practical and literally hands-on way.

    The clinic allows advanced dental hygiene students to work alongside dentists and licensed dental hygienists to apply the knowledge they learn in the classroom to real life situations. February is National Children’s Dental Hygiene Month, but whether there happens to be a national spotlight on oral health or not, the clinic is ready to provide quality dental care for the campus community and the public at large.

    The clinic serves approximately 1,400 patients per year and has been in operation since 1963. ISU’s Dental Hygiene program is looking forward to celebrating its 50th anniversary next year.   

    After two years of fulfilling prerequisite course studies, dental hygiene students can apply for entrance into ISU’s bachelor’s degree program in dental hygiene. Department head Kristin Calley explained that ISU is one of the few universities in the U.S. that offers a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene.

    “Our philosophy has always been that our students are prepared to practice dental hygiene anywhere in the U.S. or internationally,” she said. “We’ve set the bar high to insure that they have a wide variety of experiences.”

    Calley explained that one of the major benefits ISU students gain from working in the clinic is the opportunity to perform direct patient care in a supervised clinical setting.

    Indeed, this clinical experience is one of the requirements for graduating from the program.

    During the three semesters of practical training required in the dental hygiene program, students gradually see more patients per semester with a wide variety of oral needs and conditions.

    The level of expertise needed to satisfy the needs of these patients increases with each semester, so that students have an opportunity to gain experience working with more challenging conditions.

    Kambree Meudt and Jennifer Kelley are two ISU seniors in the program who are excited and motivated by their work in the clinic. Besides being good friends, they study in the classroom and work in the clinic together, as they prepare for graduation in May, and look forward to getting started in their profession.   

    “In the clinic atmosphere we work on patients, giving cleanings, doing radiographs, fluoride applications, and education,” Kelley said. “It’s been quite a learning experience to learn how to use the different instruments, and to see all the different oral conditions. It’s been awesome.”

    It’s a well-known truism that most people don’t enjoy a visit to the dentist’s office and often experience anxiety, if not downright fear, at the thought of sitting in the dental chair. But Kambree Meudt would like to change that, at least for the people she works with as a dental hygienist.

    “So far I have been able to help patients who have been anxious by being forthright and communicating with them the entire time,” she explained. “If you don’t leave them in the dark, then they don’t have as much fear about what’s going on.”

    Meudt feels that her experience working with patients at the clinic and learning from professors and professionals there has been invaluable to her future.

    “I have learned self-discipline and how to manage my time and I’ve also learned how to put others first,” she said. “One thing I try to take home every day is the idea, ‘Did I help someone today? Did I change anything for the better?’”  

    After graduation, Meudt would like to work in private practice. And after gaining several years of experience, she would consider continuing her studies in the master’s program at ISU.  

    Kelley is also set to graduate from ISU’s dental hygiene program in May and is looking forward to using her skills in private practice. The 24-year-old Colorado native would like to stay in Pocatello and hopes to also get involved in public health programs and public health education programs.

    “I love it here,” Kelley said.  

    Kelley says she was drawn to a career in dentistry because of her positive personal experiences when going to the dentist.

    “I was researching different careers, and I decided to join the ISU Dental Hygiene program,” Kelley explained. “I just find it very interesting,” she said.

    Both Kelley and Meudt are confident that ISU’s program has prepared them well for a career in dental hygiene and that the skills and techniques they have learned while working in the clinic will carry over into their new profession.

    “They have taught us to be very professional,” said Kelley. “They’re tough on us, but it’s a good tough because we are much better clinicians for it.”

    “I will definitely take into private practice the professionalism and skills I’ve learned at the clinic,” added Meudt. “It’s a very demanding program and very challenging, but I know that I’ll be a good clinician because I’ve been well trained.”

Source: Idaho State Journal / http://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/article_a0061162-7ff0-11e2-8427-001a4bcf887a.html