
Over 125 people nationwide are smiling brighter, thanks to Concorde Career College鈥檚 National Dental Hygiene Month initiative. Concorde hosted five events in California, Florida, and Missouri, where kids aged 4-17 received no-cost dental services, including cleanings, x-rays, fluoride applications, sealants, and dental kits filled with oral care essentials.
In addition to honoring the dental hygiene profession, October鈥檚 awareness month underscores the importance of preventive care and oral health access for children and families. The most recent national data shows that more than 61 million Americans live in dental health professional shortage areas (HPSAs).1
鈥淥ral health impacts overall health鈥攜et so many families face barriers to dental care access. That鈥檚 why our students and faculty stepped up to offer no-cost services to our communities and raise awareness about the importance of oral care to health and wellbeing,鈥 said Kevin Prehn, President of 黑料社.
Prehn added: 鈥淚nitiatives like this are deeply meaningful for the Concorde community and we鈥檙e grateful to PDS Health, Heartland Dental, and Liberty Dental Plan who helped make the events possible through their sponsorships.鈥
All services were provided by Concorde鈥檚 dental hygiene students under the direct supervision of faculty and licensed dental professionals. Oral care prevention information was also shared with families.
鈥淒ental caries鈥攁lso known as cavities or tooth decay鈥攊s the most prevalent, chronic childhood disease. Through cleanings and preventive care, we can help move the needle on addressing that issue and help set up kids for healthier lives,鈥 said Lisa Thurlow, Clinical Dentist, Concorde鈥揔ansas City.
In addition to kids, the San Diego and Miramar campuses also served adults and seniors from their communities.
鈥淲e had such a fun, productive day of serving children and seniors from our community. It was great hands-on experience for our students, and it was so heartwarming to see all the kids鈥 smiles. One little girl and her mother insisted we take their picture because they were so excited about their dental cleaning and new electric toothbrush,鈥 said Adela Mills, Dental Hygiene Program Director, Concorde鈥揗iramar.
Several media outlets in California, Florida, and Missouri provided news coverage of the initiative. Feature stories included:
Concorde鈥檚 commitment to providing community access to dental care goes beyond National Dental Hygiene Month. Concorde operates Dental Hygiene Clinics at all campuses that offer dental hygiene programs, which are open to the public throughout the year. Clinic hours vary by location.
1Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, , Designated Health Professional Shortage Areas Statistics, viewed October 14, 2025.
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