SUBMITTED NEWS RELEASE
Truckee Meadows Community College’s (TMCC) renowned dental hygiene program was recently awarded $7,500 from the Lee F. Del Grande Foundation to enhance oral health of low-income families, contributing to an overall improved quality of life in Northern Nevada. The grant provides preventive oral health education and services, including fluoride varnish application and dental sealant placement, to uninsured and underprivileged children in Washoe County. TMCC’s nationally ranked dental hygiene students will act as educators and service providers under the supervision of registered dental hygiene (RDH) instructors.
“For more than 40 years, TMCC has been a proud member of the Northern Nevada community and we are excited that the Del Grande Foundation will further expand our ability to give back,” said Dr. Maria Sheehan, TMCC president. “Our dental hygiene students are among the best in the country and will no doubt provide top-notch dental services and education to those children in need.”
TMCC will receive $2,500 each year for the next three years, resulting in a grand total of $7,500, which provides oral health care to uninsured and underprivileged children over an extended period of time. The initiative will begin in July 2012 and is expected to service more than 3,400 low-income children in Washoe County through June 2015.
The support from the Lee F. Del Grande Foundation will assist TMCC in its campaign to prevent tooth decay and cavities—also known as dental caries. Dental caries are considered one of the most prevalent chronic diseases in children and adults affecting more than one-fourth of U.S. children aged 2 to 5 and half of those aged 12 to 15. Untreated tooth decay leads to bigger issues including pain, suffering, increased expense, poor nutrition, inability to concentrate, absences from school as well as other serious health consequences.
TMCC has partnered with a number of programs and organizations in Northern Nevada to ensure that the campaign to prevent dental caries is unsurpassed and provides the best possible oral care and education to children and students. These organizations include: University of Nevada, Reno Early Head Start and Head Start, American Dental Association (ADA) Give Kids a Smile Campaign (GKAS), Tahoe Family Solutions, Incline Village Community Health Center, Northern Nevada Immunization Coalition, Boys and Girls Club of Truckee Meadows, Washoe County School District elementary, middle and high schools, local Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops, Easter Seals and local health fairs focused on children.
For more information about the dental hygiene program, call 775-673-8247 or visit http://www.tmcc.edu/dental/hygiene/.
About TMCC
Truckee Meadows Community College is a comprehensive community college located in Reno, Nevada, and is part of the Nevada System of Higher Education. With five college sites and more than 20 community locations, TMCC serves over 20,000 students each year in state-supported programs and another 12,000 students in non-credit workforce development classes. For more information, please go to www.tmcc.edu.
