DEAR SUN SPOTS: Could you please find out if there is a dental clinic in the Brunswick or Topsham areas? I am a senior citizen, age 77. I need to see a dentist, but they are so costly. Thank you. — No Name, No Town

ANSWER: The shortage of dentists in Maine is an ongoing concern for both patients and state officials. There has long been talk of establishing a dental school in Maine to help increase the supply of dentists in the state, and in November Maine voters approved a $5 million bond to begin that process at the University of New England.

In an April 19 story, the Portland Press Herald reported that plans for what will be the only dental school in northern New England are under way, with plans for it to be in operation in 2012 or 2013.

Meanwhile, UNE does have options for dental hygiene. The Dental Hygiene Clinic at UNE’s Portland Campus, 716 Stevens Ave., offers dental hygiene services at low fees.

There is more information available at the website, http://tinyurl.com/42mnoeh. This not-for-profit clinic is a teaching clinic so appointments may require more time. Services are available to the general public, and there are no income restrictions.

Services include oral inspections, nutritional counseling, scaling and plaque removal, personalized oral hygiene instruction, blood pressure screening, radiographic surveys (X-rays), fluoride treatments, sealants and athletic mouth guard fabrication.

You can contact the clinic at 221-4900, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for an appointment. The clinic only operates during the academic year (September through April, closed May to August).

Another option are the dental clinics at Maine’s Community Health Centers. According to www.healthreachchc.org:

“HealthReach Community Health Centers is a nonprofit Maine organization. Together, more than 200 dedicated medical and dental providers and support personnel deliver high-quality primary care services to 30,000 residents and visitors annually — regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. Our 11 federally qualified health centers serve more than 80 cities and towns in Central and Western Maine.”

From the website, it doesn’t appear that there is a dental clinic in your region, but if the price is right, you might be willing to travel. You can call the affordable care program coordinator at 888-723-9218 or 207-861-3416, P.O. Box 727, Waterville, ME 04903-0727.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: The Maine Society of Mayflower Descendants, founded in 1901, will hold an annual open meeting on Saturday, May 7, at the Hilton Garden Inn Auburn Riverwatch, 141 Great Falls Plaza.

Registration is at 9:30 a.m. At 10 a.m. Lane Mabbitt, the society’s state historian, will conduct a workshop on the membership process for anyone interested in joining the society. Mabbitt will describe the application process, how to find documentation, the requirements for evidence, the steps in the approval process and what resources are available. He will try to answer any questions about issues in individual applications.

All members and prospective members are welcome to attend the luncheon at noon for $20.

Checks may be made payable to the Maine Mayflower Society and sent to Carolyn L. F. Small, 273 Tuttle Road, Cumberland, ME 04021-9376 by Friday, April 29. For reservation questions only, please call 829-3757. For any other questions, please call 846-0516. No tickets will be sold at the door.

Jeremy D’Entremont, who has written a book on New England lighthouses and has spoken at the Maine Historical Society, will provide a presentation on lighthouses that combines historic and new photos, film and audio clips.

Requirement for membership in the Maine Society of Mayflower Descendants is proof of descent from any passenger on the Mayflower voyage that terminated at Plymouth, Mass., in 1620. — Mary Lee Merrill, publicity chairman, merily@localnet.com

This column is for you, our readers. It is for your questions and comments. There are only two rules: You must write to the column and sign your name (we won’t use it if you ask us not to). Please include your phone number. Letters will not be returned or answered by mail, and telephone calls will not be accepted. Your letters will appear as quickly as space allows. Address them to Sun Spots, P.O. Box 4400, Lewiston, ME 04243-4400. Inquiries can also be e-mailed to sunspots@sunjournal.com.

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