Johnson County Community College

The Delta Dental of Kansas Foundation has donated more than $200,000 to Johnson County

College (JCCC) for improvements to the Dental Hygiene Program and partial funding of the

Oral Health on Wheels vehicle.

JCCC - Dental Hygiene Program

The Johnson County Community College (JCCC) Dental Hygiene Program began an expansion

project in 2008. The project was part of a larger facilities renovation to design a state-of-the-art

clinical facility for dental hygienists, which meets industry standards for safety, efficiency and

ergonomic function. The project increased the annual class size from 26 to 30 students; expanded

radiology laboratory opportunities; increased the service capacity of the Dental Hygiene Clinic; and

expanded preventative services for uninsured individuals.

Delta Dental of Kansas provided a $125,000 grant in 2008. The grant equipped four operatories,

eight radiology units and consoles, purchased state-of-the-art ultrasonic sterilization equipment and

purchased 2,608 toothbrush kits for distribution at community health fair presentations.

The Oral Health on Wheels (OHOW) is a mobile dental clinic serving underserved

populations in Johnson County, Kansas. The program was formally launched in the spring of

2008 under the auspices of the Dental Hygiene Program at Johnson County Community

College.

OHOW is a 10-foot by 40-foot diesel truck loaded with a refrigerator, microwave, radio,

sterilization unit, two treatment rooms, patient waiting area and wheelchair lift. The unit is

staffed at all times by a board certified dentist, a professor of dental hygiene and two senior

level dental hygiene students who have met proficiency requirements. The dentist and dental

hygiene professor supervise students as they clean, polish, examine, X-ray and interact with

special needs patients during a three-week clinical rotation.

In 2006, the Delta Dental of Kansas Foundation provided a $75,000 grant towards the purchase

of the Oral Health on Wheels vehicle.

The JCCC Oral Health on Wheels program is addressing a significant, long-standing service

access issue for individuals with developmental disabilities. Overwhelming research-based

consensus shows that people with developmental disabilities have much higher rates of poor

oral hygiene and care than the general population.

The OHOW clinic takes oral hygiene services directly to places where large numbers of

underserved and special needs clients are located. All services available through OHOW

are provided at no charge to the client. Never has access to dental hygiene services been

more convenient!