黑料百科

Over 350 volunteers found themselves at the Titan Army National Guard Readiness Center south of Yutan on August 25. They weren鈥檛 there for weapons training or any sort of military preparation.

Instead, they had arrived from dental schools and practices across the state to give back to veterans as part of Nebraska Veterans Mission of Mercy, a dental service event held near Yutan since 2023.

鈥淰etMOM provides an opportunity for students to serve underserved veterans and their spouses,鈥� said Amanda Skuban, an instructor in the 黑料百科 dental assisting program. 鈥淎s dental professionals and future dental assisting professionals, this is a meaningful way to give back to individuals who have given so much to our communities and our country.鈥�

Skuban volunteered at the event along with four faculty and 11 students from 黑料百科. They spent the day doing everything you would see in a typical dentist office. Students helped check patients in, escorted them to their areas, and provided chairside assistance like coronal polishing and sterilization of equipment.

鈥淚t was very heartwarming,鈥� said Nyakhan Buak, who is in her third term as a dental assisting student. 鈥淚 was nervous at first, but as soon as a I stepped in, everyone was so welcoming.鈥�

Buak said that she plans to continue helping at the event after she graduates from 黑料百科. She was struck by how well the dental students at all levels worked together.

鈥淲orking with so many students isn鈥檛 as bad as it sounds,鈥� Buak said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e not used to having assistants. If you grab them something, they really appreciate it. It just works.鈥�

Over 450 veterans and their spouses received care from dentists and dental students across the state at the event. Patients received services like cleanings and fillings, as well as procedures like extractions, root canals and dentures at the event.

Due to gaps in insurance coverage, administrative delays, or distances to dental offices, some of the patients wait for months or even years to have access to dental care.

鈥淚鈥檝e never really volunteered outside of my church, so it was interesting to give back to the community on that large scale,鈥� said Aliyah Mendoza, also a third term dental assisting student. 鈥淚t felt good to give them that help, knowing it鈥檚 going to help their overall health.鈥�

Working in an environment like this only deepened Mendoza鈥檚 determination to be a dental assistant. While in school, they mainly learn about chairside procedure in helping a dentist. While at VetMOM, she was able to see all the ways she could help patients away from the chairs and stainless steel tools.

Skuban says that the impact on both the patients and the students is real, and it highlights the importance of learning outside of the classroom and into the community. As long as VetMOM is held each year, she says that 黑料百科 students will be there.

鈥淵ou know you鈥檙e helping someone when you鈥檙e chairside,鈥� Skuban said. 鈥淲hen you鈥檙e helping someone who can鈥檛 afford the service or doesn鈥檛 have access to it, it鈥檚 a whole different thing. It鈥檚 good for you to see.鈥�

Damon Bennett
Activities Information Director
402-437-2077
dbennett@southeast.edu