by Nick Kaye
Special to The Weekly
OLD TOWN — In 2008, the state of Maine passed LD 2277, a bill which allows dental hygienists to open independent practices if they’ve accumulated enough experience. Without doctors on premises, these practices are able to offer preventative dental care at an affordable rate in a uniquely personal setting.
“For some people, the clinical setting of a dentist’s office can be unsettling. They can hear all the commotion, the phones ringing and the doctor’s drill going in the next room,” said Heather Sprague, a dental hygienist who recently opened her own clinic, Forever Smiles LLC, at 601 Stillwater Ave. in Old Town. She is one of only a handful of independent practice dental hygienists in Maine.
“Here, it’s just me and the patient, there’s a relaxed atmosphere and music playing, and I treat the patient just as if they were in my chair at the dental office.”
Independent clinics like Sprague’s are intended for preventative care. If patients are in need of x-rays or restorative services, she refers them to area dentists.
“Because there’s not a dentist here and I don’t have all the highly expensive equipment, my fees can be far lower,” said Sprague. This provides a much needed break for patients without health coverage, cutting bills by up to 50 percent.
Patients at practices like Sprague’s also enjoy shorter waiting times.
Sprague has lived in the Old Town area since she was a teenager. She graduated from dental hygiene school at the University of Maine at Augusta, Bangor campus, in 2002 and went on to work at the office of Dr. Michael Goldberg, periodontist, in Bangor for more than nine years.
In addition to running Forever Smiles LLC, Sprague currently works as a dental hygienist at Dr. Durwin Libby’s family practice in Lincoln and as a part-time clinical instructor at the UMA dental hygiene school in Bangor.
It’s hard for a dental hygienist in Maine to find enough work to make ends meet, but there’s a lot that keeps Sprague going.
“My husband and my son make me strive to do more and do better. They really gave me the courage and motivation to go independent,” she said. “It’s also very rewarding to establish lasting relationships with patients. They get to know you and you get to know them. They really become friends.”
Many people questioned Sprague’s choice to open in Old Town rather than Bangor, where she might have better chances at commercial success, she said. For her, it was a matter of serving the community that she grew up in.
Sprague aspires to one day work full-time at Forever Smiles LLC without supplementing her income with additional jobs. She would bring a secretary and a second certified dental hygienist on board. For now, however, she is trying to do her best to get the word out about independent practice dental hygienists and the comfort and affordability they are able to provide.
To schedule a visit and for more information, call 827-2900 or visit facebook.com/ForeverSmilesDentalHygiene.