Home » Dental school will again help provide free care in Pikeville

Dental school will again help provide free care in Pikeville

PIKEVILLE, Ky. (June 6, 2012) — More than 120 dental students and nearly 40 faculty and staff members from the University of Louisville School of Dentistry will spend June 9-10 in Pikeville, Ky., providing free dental care including cleanings, fillings, extractions and denture repairs, relines and other prosthetic services to underserved populations. The effort is part of the Remote Area Medical (RAM) Kentucky clinic. Organizers expect about 1,000 people to seek dental, medical and vision care.

The clinic, at Pike County Central High School, will open at 6 a.m. Saturday and closes Sunday afternoon.

“Our student doctors gain unequivocal experience in treating a diverse patient population by participating in RAM events. Exposure to such rural communities allows for a heightened degree of effective interaction, awareness, attitude, knowledge and skill in treating underserved patients,” said John Sauk, DDS, MS, dean, UofL School of Dentistry. “We are also meeting our mission to serve those in need by eliminating oral disease and helping patients gain a greater understanding of how dental disease is affecting them, while strongly encouraging personalized preventive measures such as oral hygiene, smoking cessation and healthy eating habits.”

The University of Louisville has been involved in nine Remote Area Medical events, engaging in more than 3,500 extractions, 1,500 restorations, 325 cleanings, 215 oral cancer screenings, and 120 denture repairs.

This is the fourth year ULSD has taken part in the Pikeville RAM effort.