STCC to Host Community Dental Day on April 29

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield Technical Community College’s (STCC) Dental Hygiene program and the Valley District Dental Society will co-host Community Dental Day on Saturday, April 29.

The event at STCC provides an opportunity for area residents who might not be receiving any dental care to obtain free treatment and schedule follow-up visits. This is the fifth Community Dental Day and the first since 2019. The event was paused during the pandemic.

Meg Loadholt, Dental Hygiene program coordinator, said STCC students will assist treating patients under the supervision of licensed dentists and dental hygienists.

“The Dental Hygiene Department offers the most affordable treatment in the Springfield area, but on Community Dental Day, the public has the opportunity to receive expanded treatment services free of charge,” Loadholt said. “If you have been putting off seeing a dentist, save the date and come to STCC on April 29.”

The Dental Hygiene Clinic in Building 20 at STCC will be open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Patient visits will begin at 9 a.m.

Valley District Dental Society licensed dentists, together with STCC dental hygiene and assisting students, will offer patient education, health screenings, diagnosis, X-rays, dental fillings, extractions, and other types of urgent care. There is no charge for any treatment

STCC offers pathways to dental careers through two programs. Students can seek a two-year associate degree in dental hygiene or a one-year certificate in dental assisting.

“We are excited to again partner with STCC to provide free dental treatment to the community,” said Dr. Martin Wohl, coordinator of the Valley District Dental Society volunteer dentists. “We always get a wonderful response, and the volunteer doctors feel they can provide a valuable service and help people that generally can’t find the care they seek.

“It will not be unlimited care, but there will be such treatment as fillings, extractions, sealants, and taking care of urgent issues,” added Wohl, who supervises students treating patients at STCC. “We will not provide cleanings, but in diagnosing that someone needs a cleaning, we will be able to schedule a follow-up visit. We will be able to put them into the system to get routine cleanings.”

While Community Dental Day will be free, patients can return to STCC for low-cost follow-up care. STCC’s Dental Hygiene Clinic on the second floor of Building 20 offers routine cleanings and various procedures at a reduced cost to residents of the Greater Springfield area. Wohl noted that patients who came to STCC on prior Community Dental Days have developed continuing dental-care relationships with the doctors treating them.

Community Dental Day is open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. Call (413) 755-4900 with any questions.