By Lauren Meyer
CCC Journalism Program
BLACKWOOD – The Dental Hygiene Clinic at Camden County College encourages community members to visit the clinic to take advantage of inexpensive services.
The clinic in Halpern Hall on the college’s Blackwood campus offers low-cost services to people of all ages in New Jersey. The clinic has been operating for nine years and is always seeking new patients. The clinic offers cleanings, X-rays, preventive services and more.
The director of the dental program, Dawn Conley, said the program provides infinite opportunities for Camden County College students. She called the clinic “New Jersey’s best kept secret.”
Conley explained that the clinic needs more attention and she encouraged community members to stop by. She stated that the program promotes its services on its website and by word of mouth. Patients who visit the clinic keep coming back and they build a rapport with the students.
Conley also noted that the clinic participates in the Give Kids a Smile initiative, “an annual public health program that provides free preventive and educational services to patients between the ages of 5 and 19.” This event will be open to the public from Feb. 6 to May 4 of this year.
The dental program works to ensure that students will be prepared to perform procedures on patients. Conley stated that students who are interested in the program must take two years of prerequisites before they can be admitted into it.
Amanda Valmer, a student representative for the Dental Hygiene Club, has been in the program for four years and this is her final year on campus. Valmer has been involved at the clinic and said she “feels very prepared to work in a dental practice” after graduating.
She said that the patient experience is her top priority and that she aims to create a welcoming environment. Valmer noted that patients are more than “willing to follow up with you” and happy to request her at their next appointment.
During spring break, students in the program visited several dental practices to “get a feel for a professional environment,” said Valmer.
The Dental Hygiene Clinic will be open until the end of the spring semester, May 11.
Clinic Hours:
Monday: 9 a.m. to noon
Tuesday: 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Wednesday: 9 a.m. to noon, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Thursday: 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Clinic fees per service can be found here.
The Dental Hygiene Clinic is in Halpern Hall, Suite 107, 200 College Drive, Blackwood, NJ 08012
Appointments can be made by calling 856-374-5048 during regular clinic hours or by leaving a voicemail message at any other time.
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