About UNMC Dental SHARING Clinics
- 2023 SHARING Clinics were held in Grand Island on January 28 and in Lincoln on February 23
- 60 patients treated
- 139 procedures performed, $25,307 value
- 220 volunteers
Impact
SHARING Clinics (Student Health Alliance Reaching Indigent Needy Groups) are a UNMC outreach program. Dental SHARING Clinics are held to address the oral health needs of the underserved in Nebraska. Patients receive free dental care from student providers.
The SHARING Clinic program provides students with the opportunity to gain experiences they might not ordinarily have at the college, and gives faculty and staff an opportunity to model professional behaviors while they serve the community.
SHARING Clinics are held in Lincoln at the College of Dentistry. Patients are primarily referred from Clinic With A Heart. Many SHARING Clinic cases are complex and represent dental emergencies with pain, swelling and fever. Primary procedures performed include cleaning, extractions, restorations and referrals for root canal therapy.
Additionally, an annual extraction clinic is held in conjunction with the Third City Clinic in Grand Island.
Since 2008,
- 38 Dental SHARING Clinics held
- Over 2,500 patients treated
- Over 5,000 students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members participated
Additionally, the college has used the SHARING Clinic program to enhance Interprofessional Education opportunities with students from the UNMC College of Nursing.
The Dental SHARING Clinic program is made possible by generous financial support from Ameritas Insurance Company, Delta Dental of Nebraska, dental alumni and friends of the college.