LSUHealthNO to Hold Dental Hygiene Program Open House

The Dental Hygiene Program at LSU Health New Orleans School of Dentistry will hold an Open House on July 18, 2017, from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon at the school, 1100 Florida Avenue. The event is for prospective students or those considering a dental hygiene career. To reserve a spot, email jwals2@lsuhsc.edu.

The event includes a tour of the school and clinics guided by current LSU Health dental hygiene students and a session about the admissions process followed by Q & A with Jane Walsh, RDH, JD, Program Director.

Dental Hygiene is one of three dental professions degree programs offered at LSU Health New Orleans School of Dentistry. The profession attracts people who are interested in helping people remain healthy, enjoy direct patient care, and like the security of a specialized career, flexible working hours and the potential to earn a good salary as well as the opportunity to practice anywhere in the country and abroad.

Dental hygienists work with dentists and other dental personnel to meet the oral health needs of the patients; perform oral cancer screenings, review medical histories, take blood pressure readings, and chart the teeth; remove deposits from the teeth; educate patients about proper oral hygiene; take x-rays of the teeth; administer local anesthesia and nitrous oxide/oxygen; apply fluoride and sealants to the teeth; and counsel patients on proper nutrition, tobacco cessation, and dental treatment options.

LSU Health New Orleans School of Dentistry offers a bachelor of science at two campuses. The main dental hygiene program is based at the dental school in New Orleans; all didactic and clinical course work for the dental hygiene program occurs on this campus. The second campus, established in 1999 as an extension of the LSU Health New Orleans School of Dentistry curriculum, is in Lafayette. The program uses distance learning technology to transmit all of the lecture courses to the Lafayette campus. All didactic and clinical course work occurs at the Lafayette Community Health Care Center.

Educating about 75% of Louisiana's dentists and dental hygienists, LSU Health New Orleans School of Dentistry is the only dental school in the State of Louisiana and the only one in the nation offering degrees in dentistry, dental hygiene and dental laboratory technology.