Students from the A. I. Prince Dental Assisting Education Program have given back to the community this year. In December, 2007, Kerisha Smith, Carla Brown, Angela Woods and Adrienne Knight, participated in a Dental Health Fair in Hartford sponsored by the UConn Burgdorf-Pediatric Dental Clinic. Prince Dental Assisting students and other dental personnel provided dental screenings, referrals and oral health education to members of the community.

On February 8, 2008, Angela Branford, Janet Montminy and Jennifer Montminy participated in Give Kids a Smile Day sponsored by the Connecticut State Dental Association. The dental assisting students, dentists, dental assistants and dental hygienists at Community HealthCare in East Hartford and Manchester provided free dental services to underserved children.

On April 12 and 13, 2008, Prince Dental Assisting students and faculty volunteered at the Connecticut Mission of Mercy in Tolland, Connecticut. This was a large-scale, multi-day dental clinic at Tolland High School that provided free dental services to anyone (children, adults and the elderly) who is without dental insurance and in a low-income situation. Hundreds of dentists, dental students, dental assistants, dental assisting students, dental hygienists and non-dental personnel volunteered their time and expertise. It is estimated that 1,100 patients were seen and $470,000 worth of dental services were provided that weekend. It was truly an amazing and rewarding event! The students that participated were: Angela Woods, Salma Naraphiromkhwan, Angela Branford, Janet Montminy, Maria Szymaniewska, Blessing Bekley, Hipolita Fernandez, Senada Huric, Lorna Young, and Jennifer Montminy. Donna Valente and Janice Ferrara of Prince’s dental assisting faculty also participated.

Prince Tech Dental Assisting students were pleased that they could use their newly acquired skills to provide people with much needed dental care. The effort was well appreciated by the patients that were treated.