Clinic celebrates third year

• By STEVEN WARD
• Advocate staff writer
• Published: Dec 3, 2008 - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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Carol Castille estimates that she saved about $5,000 on dental work by going to LSU’s School of Dentistry satellite clinic in Baton Rouge.

Since early 2008, Castille said she has had dental cleanings, checkups, fillings, crowns and a root canal after she discovered the clinic.

The work, which was supervised by dentists who teach at the school, was performed by dental school seniors, dental school residents doing post-graduate work and dental hygiene students.

“I feel so comfortable. It’s like going to my own dentist. I will definitely continue to come here,” Castille said Tuesday afternoon at a three-year anniversary celebration of the LSU clinic.

Established at LSU’s South Campus off GSRI Avenue three years ago Tuesday, the Baton Rouge clinic has become a critical teaching resource following Hurricane Katrina, said Leslie Capo, director of information services for the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans.

The LSU School of Dentistry — the state’s only dental school — took a major hit from the storm to its main campus in New Orleans.

After the storm strike, the school relocated to Baton Rouge until the New Orleans campus was ready for classes again.

A long-term benefit of the relocation to Baton Rouge was the opening of the dental clinic where students are able to practice what they learn and local patients are treated to quality dental care for a fraction of the cost a private dentists would charge.

“A crown for instance would cost about $350 here. With a private dentist that could range in price anywhere from $800 to $1,000,” said Dr. Benjamin Record, the Baton Rouge clinic director.

The clinic has provided clinical dental care to more than 10,500 people through more than 25,000 patient visits since it opened on Dec 2, 2005, Capo said.

“People just don’t know about us. It’s a word-of-mouth thing,” Record said.

The dental school also has satellite clinics in Lafayette, Alexandria, Houma and New Orleans.

The Baton Rouge clinic was opened in an old research building on the LSU South Campus that was empty and was only used for storage.