School of Dentistry sponsors annual free mouth guard clinic July 27

School of Dentistry sponsors annual free mouth guard clinic July 27

ANN ARBOR—University of Michigan School of Dentistry students will fit members of the public with free, customized mouth guards July 27. U-M dental and dental hygiene students will make the protective gear for athletes of all ages: elementary, middle school, high school, and college age students are invited as are non-student athletes.

The program will take place 9 a.m.-noon on the third floor at the School of Dentistry, 1011 N. University, directly across the street from the Michigan League on U-M’s Central Campus. An appointment is not necessary.

[Central Campus map, Dental School near center]

The mouth guards will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, and because of time constraints, the program limits its service to 120 mouth guards.

“A proper fitting mouth guard acts as a shock absorber, blunting the force of impact caused by falls or contact that occurs in athletic activities,” said Dr. William Godwin, U-M professor emeritus of dentistry and sports dentistry specialist. “A customized mouth guard, such as the ones our students make, does more than save teeth. It also helps to minimize head and neck injuries, such as concussions and jaw fractures.”

Godwin said the customized piece of equipment fits more comfortably than those sold in stores. “That’s important, because the more comfortable the mouth guard is, the more likely the athlete is to wear it,” he said.

A mouth guard is one of the most important, yet probably most overlooked or neglected, pieces of sports equipment. They are vital for athletes who not only participate in football or ice hockey, but also for individuals playing soccer, basketball, gymnastics, skateboarding, in-line skating, and downhill skiing.

In addition to protecting athletes from possible injury while participating in school-sponsored sports, the American Dental Association suggests mouth guards also be worn for recreational activities, including in-line skating.

Clinic participants should sign in on the third floor of the School of Dentistry Building, where they will be assigned a number. At that time, they will choose the color of their mouth guard as well as decide if they want a strap attached.

Because of the program’s popularity, there could be a wait of 30 to 45 minutes for a chair. Once the athlete is seated, he or she will spend about 20 minutes in a dental chair as student dentists and hygienists, supervised by dental faculty, take an impression.

Athletes can pick up their mouth guards about two or three hours later. When picking up the mouth guards, each athlete will try on the guard in the presence of a student dentist or dental hygienist, supervised by a faculty member, as last-minute adjustments are made.

Schools are invited to send their athletic trainers to receive instruction in the proper use of mouth guards.

The mouth guard clinic, now in its 15th year, is funded by a grant from Dr. Samuel D. Harris, a 1924 graduate of the U-M School of Dentistry. U-M dentistry faculty and students, as well as several local dentists, volunteer their time.

The U-M 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 prepare 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.

E-mail: cnewvine@umich.edu