The Greenville Tech Foundation has been awarded a $5,000 grant from the Healthy Greenville, Too program to improve dental care in the community. The funding will be used to purchase equipment and supplies for the college’s Dental Clinic, which provides hands-on experience for students while offering low cost preventative care to a population that might otherwise go without dental services.

Dental health is a serious problem for many people in our state. Poor oral health is associated with a host of issues including sleep deprivation, depression, poor self-image, and impaired ability to perform basic activities. One in every five children below the age of twelve suffers from untreated tooth decay, and an abscessed tooth is the number one cause of childhood visits to the emergency room.

Greenville Technical College offers the only Dental Hygiene program in Upstate South Carolina and the largest Dental Assisting program in the area. The college’s 33-chair Dental Clinic provides cleaning, screening, and x-rays for a nominal fee. In 2017, the clinic saw 1,313 patients, and in 2018, 1,605 people were served, thus representing a 22 percent increase in traffic.

Support from Healthy Greenville Too will allow the purchase of equipment and supplies needed to care for a growing patient population and prepare students for strong careers. A workplace-grade autoclave will be used for sterilization and disinfection. Items such as inhalers, antibiotics, oxygen, and masks along with materials for patient education, items for preventative care, and anesthesia supplies are needed for high quality dental care.

“This micro grant will have a major impact on people in Greenville County who depend on the college’s Dental Clinic for affordable care,” said Ann Wright, vice president for advancement with the Greenville Tech Foundation. “We greatly appreciate the Healthy Greenville program’s support of low-cost preventative care and education for the next generation of dental professionals.”