Until last week, Bubba was my only child to visit the dentist. It’s not that I don’t think dental care is important, it’s that I would have to take out a small loan to take all 4 of them. We are very careful to have the kiddos brush and floss their teeth every day, so since Bubba has been the only one with problems, he’s been the only one to go. That is, until last week. Our local community college had a dental hygienist program and they do free preventative care for all children under 18. So, I took all 4 kiddos last week.
I was a little nervous that they wouldn’t do a good job, or that the facility would be sub-par, but boy was I wrong. They have a state of the art set-up there, and all the girls were wonderful with the kids!
It was a fabulous first experience for the younger ones. The hygienists were working for a grade, so they were very careful and made the kids feel comfortable.
Then, the instructor would come in and ask how it went, and if the kids were nervous, or if the hygienist hurt them at all. So, you know the students are going to do their best!
The best part of the whole thing was that it was free! All four kids got their cleanings, and Sugar Belle also had a panoramic x-ray taken. Do you know how much those cost? I do! About $100.00! I am pleased to say that none of the Littles have any cavities! YEAH!!!!
Bubba will be going back in a couple of weeks for some x-rays and hopefully to get sealants on his molars – free!
So, let’s do the math. Had I taken my 4 children to get cleanings at our regular dentist that would have cost me $127.00 per child, for a total of $508.00. Add to that the cost of the panoramic x-rays, which is $95.00, that brings my total to $603.00. So, I saved a total of $603.00. Not to shabby, eh? Check around at your local colleges or vocational schools to see if they offer something similar. But definitely, check the place out before you setup your appointments. My mom had checked this place out for me, a few weeks before.
Not bad pics for a camera phone, eh?
I knew sending you to Mo for math would pay off! :)
WOW!!! Great tip! Never even thought about this. Now that you’ve had a good experience- I think we will be trying it this year. Your phone does take great pictures. Great site girlie!