X-ray class offers service, practice and savings
William Kennedy
Issue date: 2/8/10 Section: News
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"He has a lot of fillings," Anthony says afterwards, "but nice big teeth."
This time she can afford to tease-Richter is her boyfriend-but Anthony and other students enrolled in College of Marin's dental assistant program are focused on developing the skills as well as the professionalism necessary for a future career. Members of the advanced radiology class are currently taking x-rays, using friends, family and volunteers, including members of the COM student body, as patients.
The free radiographs serve as practice, but also as part of the department's community service, says Barbara Cancilla, a retired instructor who has returned every year since 2000 to help with the radiology course. "It's a $125 value-(patients) just need to get the ok from (their) dentist."
With a dentist's approval, an interested party can contact instructor Grace Hom in the dental department, who connects them with an aspiring dental assistant to set up the x-ray. "This engages the student to be involved with phone communication, making an appointment and following up with a reminder phone call," Hom says.
X-rays are important as they can reveal infections, decay and other damage to teeth that a visual inspection might miss, according to the American Dental Association. And it's a relatively painless procedure for the volunteers, says Richter, provided they can handle the discomfort of an angular plastic film in their mouth.
The radiograph process, however, can be nerve racking for the students conducting them, according to Essie Valdez, a dental assistant student five months away from graduation.
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