School of Dentistry sponsoring free mouth guard clinic

ANN ARBOR—Soccer, football, ice hockey, lacrosse, karate—whatever your sport, the University of Michigan School of Dentistry has an offer designed to keep your smile in top form, too. On July 29, the School will offer free customized mouth guards to elementary, middle school, high school, and college students. Non-student athletes of all ages also are invited.

No appointment is necessary. The mouth guards will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. Athletes will be able to choose the color of their mouth guard and to decide if they want a strap attached.

Impressions will be made from 9 a.m. to noon on the third floor of the School of Dentistry Building on the Central Campus. Athletes will spend about 20 minutes in the dental chair as student dentists take the impression. Because the annual program is so popular, there could be a wait of 30 or 45 minutes for a chair, depending on the size of the crowd. Mouth guards will be available for pickup and fitting about two to three hours after the impression is made.

[Map of Central Campus, School of Dentistry Building (“Dental School”) near center.]

The program, which began in 1987, attracts student athletes from Ann Arbor, Southgate, Belleville, and elsewhere. Last year, more than 130 athletes were fitted for the customized mouth guards. Some were as young as 6 or 7 years of age. Several adults also were fitted. U-M School of Dentistry faculty and students, as well as several local dentists, volunteer their time to make the protective equipment. Schools may also send their athletic trainers to receive instruction in the proper use of mouth guards.

“Mouth guards do more than protect the teeth,” explains Dr. William Godwin, U-M professor emeritus of dentistry and specialist in sports dentistry. “They also help minimize head and neck injuries, such as concussions and jaw fractures.” Custom-made mouth guards fit more comfortably than off-the-shelf guards sold in stores, and “the more comfortable the guards are, the more likely kids are to wear them,” Godwin notes.

Dental and dental hygiene students who participate in the clinic see it as an opportunity to contribute to the community, using skills they have mastered in their training.

“It’s a great service for the community and it felt good to give something back,” says Kathi Wilson, a fourth-year dental student who volunteered last summer.

The clinic is funded by a grant from Samuel D. Harris, a 1924 U-M dental graduate.

The University of Michigan School of Dentistry is one of the nation’s leading dental schools engaged in oral health care education, research, patient care, and community service. General dental care clinics and specialty clinics providing advanced treatment enable the School to offer dental services and programs to patients throughout Michigan. Classroom and clinic instruction train future dentists, dental specialists, and dental hygienists for practice in private offices, hospitals, academia, and public agencies. Research seeks to discover and apply new knowledge that can help patients worldwide. More information is available on the Web at http://www.dent.umich.edu.

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School of DentistryMap of Central CampusWilliam Godwinhttp://www.dent.umich.edu