MOM s' project

On March 13, 2010 I worked with the Mission of Mercy Organization for 9 hours providing dental care. The Mission of Mercy is composed of Dentists, Dental Hygienists, dental students, and dental hygiene students that provide free dental services to the public. The organization provided help to a variety of age groups, approximately ages 30-60 years old; and ethnic groups such as: Caucasians, African- Americans, Hispanics, Asians,and Arabs . Care was given to individuals that have not been able to access a dentist, on a routine basis.
The purpose of the MOM project was to provide free dental care to those in need, and to educate patients regarding dental health. The patients had a variety of dental complaints, and they all were in need of teeth cleaning. My role as a dental hygiene student was to provide adequate teeth cleaning, to remove calculus, and provide instructions on gaining and maintaining a healthy oral cavity.
My preparation for this experience was all of my clinical hours at MCV, and time studying dental health. I had limited time to spend with each client, approximately 20 minutes. I had to provide my best care in a very limited amount of time. Initially, I found this to be very challenging, with my first 2 patients; however, as the day progressed it became easier and I became more comfortable. I am satisfied with the care that I provided, and I can't think of anything that I would change. This day encompassed all that I have been studying in school from my instrument techniques, to patient education.
The worst experience of the day was caring for an elderly lady that had severe pruxisim, and erosion. She was experiencing hypersensitivity, to treat this I provided her with topical anesthesia. I provided her information on purchasing a “mouth guard” to wear nightly to prevent her from grinding her teeth. I taught her to avoid acidic beverages and foods, to decrease erosion.
This was a phenomenal learning experience for me. I consider this to be the most rewarding event of my dental hygiene education so far. I felt incredibly rewarded, by donating my time and service to people in need. Providing education, to people in desperate need of it, made me believe that it is possible for one person to make a change in the lives of many. I had no idea that I would feel this satisfied in my ability to help others. I know that I have grown a lot professionally, due to this experience. My role as a future Dental Hygienist is far bigger than simply cleaning teeth. My role as an educator is substantial to the people I care for. I look forward to more experiences like the MOM project. I recommend this experience to every classmate.