KCU-Joplin’s Oral Health Center is something to smile about
Do you – or does someone you know – need dental care?
Maybe your children need care.
Or perhaps you’re ready for dentures but you’re worried about costs.
If so, the Oral Health Center at Kansas City University College of Dental Medicine in Joplin might be the place for you.
The Oral Health Center offers general dental care for the four-state region, including Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and Oklahoma, provided by caring dental students and faculty.
The Center allows dental students to gain hands-on experience while offering affordable treatment options to patients.
It accepts self-pay, commercial insurance and Medicaid.
Dr. Dennis Abbott is the assistant dean of Integrated Biomedical and Clinical Sciences for the College of Dental Medicine.
He says helping people is what KCU Dental School in Joplin is all about.
“The Oral Health Center is here to meet a need we found in the community. It serves two purposes. Number one, it helps educate our students in clinical part of what their education entails. But it’s also here to be a resources for community members who might not have access to care.”
Dr. Abbott says everything within about a 125-mile radius of Joplin is a considered a “dental health desert” – an area without enough dental providers.
Are there age limits?
“We see everything from kiddos to senior adults,” he says. “Our students need to have experience treating children, young adults, people in their middle age years and senior citizen.”
“It’s really available for anyone who needs a dental home but doesn’t have one,” he asserts.
The Center provides comprehensive care for anyone with an oral health need. Services provided include:
Urgent Care for Pain, Bleeding and Swelling
Routine Checkups and Cleanings
Fillings and Restorations
Extractions
Preventive Care and Education
Partials and Complete Dentures
Implants
Specialized Treatment Plans
“It’s a great resource for those with financial restraints,” Dr. Abbott says. “We accept Medicaid and that’s helpful because there are a lot of dental providers who still don’t accept that plan.
Although advanced dental students provide hands-on care, they carry out all treatment under the supervision of experienced dentists at the Oral Health Center.
Karlie Hopper is one of the student doctors at KCU Dental School.
She is a third-year dental student from Andale, Kansas.
Karlie is a graduate of Wichita State University.
When she completes her training in Joplin in 2027, she’ll be a member of the first-ever graduating class at the KCU dental school.
Her experience includes another component: She spent two years as a dental hygienist in the Kansas City area.
She also worked in an assisted living facility with geriatric patients, giving her added experience in working with people.
What does she like about dental school at KCU?
“One thing is the technology here at KCU,” Karlie says. “It’s very up-to-date. The second thing is the camaraderie between faculty and students. The faculty instills a lot of confidence in us and our abilities.”
Hopper says the Oral Health Center uses some of the most advanced technology available today.
“You may remember the impression materials dentists may have used in your mouth in earlier years. Today, we do that digitally with a 3D scanner.
“We can design crowns and work online with digital radiographs.”
Karlie says students begin working with virtual reality simulators in simulation labs very early in their four years in dental school before moving on to actual patients.
“Another great thing is our walk in clinic,” she says.
“If something pops up over the weekend, you can come into our clinic. It’s on a first come, first-serve basis.”
Dr. Abbott says those wanting to become new patients can take the first step by setting up a screening appointment.
“At the screening, we’ll look at you and see whether or not you are qualified to be a patient – at no charge,” he comments. “After that, you can continue on from there.”
Dr. Abbott says after being approved, a new patient would then undergo a comprehensive oral exam to have teeth and gums assessed and undergo an oral cancer screening. Then the doctor and student doctor would develop a comprehensive treatment plan.
The KCU team will discuss any specific fees and payment options with you prior to treatment, ensuring complete understanding of the cost of dental care before the treatment is started.
If you’ve been putting off getting dental care, the KCU Oral Health Center is as close as the west side of Joplin.
“The community has been a partner with us since the very beginning,” Dr. Abbott says. “We’re happy to be a part of this community and we want that relationship to continue to better all of us.”
To get started, call KCU at 417-208-0806 or go online to https://www.kansascity.edu/oral-health-center