FAQs - Hygienists

Volunteer registration is closed at this time.  Thank you to all of the 2,000 volunteers who have registered to volunteer!

FLA-MOM has arranged for a discounted room block at the Hyatt Place Lakeland Center, 525 West Orange Street, Lakeland, FL 33815 The cost per night is $209.00. Please see the link below to make your reservation:
https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/florida/hyatt-place-lakeland-center/tpazl?corp_id=g-fda1

Below is an interactive map of surrounding hotels for your convenience.

Setups will be provided, but feel free to bring your favorites (scalers, cavitron inserts).

Bring any special equipment you may need, including headlights or magnifying eyewear. Please be sure to properly label all your equipment with your name.

All clinical volunteers must be licensed by the state of Florida or complete an out-of-state registration. License numbers are required on the volunteer registration form and will be verified before the event. Anyone directly involved with patient care is required to have a current hepatitis vaccination.

Licensed dentists and hygienists do not need to have their own malpractice insurance to practice at the FLA-MOM. The FDA Foundation’s insurance through The Doctor’s Company will cover licensed dentists and licensed hygienists at the FLA-MOM.

FLA-MOM has many wonderful opportunities for hygiene students, but treating patients is not allowed, even under supervision. FLA-MOM provides a great environment for learning and we encourage students to volunteer in positions where they can interact with patients, such as patient education, exit interviews, escorting patients, or assisting in dental, hygiene, or sterilization treatment.

Dental instruments will be provided. You are welcome to bring your favorites, just make sure that everything is clearly labeled with your name, properly sterilized, in good working order, safe, effective and only used for its intended purpose. Ultrasonic scalers will be available for hygienists. A disposable gown, masks and gloves also will be provided on-site.

If you will be at the clinic site on the setup day, you can bring your dental stools and other equipment between 3 and 4:30 p.m. to prep your operatory. If you are volunteering in the same department on both days, you may leave your equipment by your chair.

Clinicians should plan to bring their own eye protection. Headlamps and extra batteries are recommended to increase visibility.

Please do not bring weapons of ANY kind, illegal substances or anything of value.

Please leave your personal belongings at home or locked in your vehicle. We do not have a secured area for personal belongings and want to avoid tripping hazards on the clinic floor. Drawstring backpacks will be given to all volunteers for small items such as keys, wallet, cell phone. We ask that you wear your backpack throughout the event.

Please do not bring latex gloves or anything containing latex as some volunteers/patients may be allergic to latex.

One chairside stool will be provided for each treatment chair for the dentist or hygienist to use during treatment.

Please note that all volunteers will receive a volunteer certificate with their service hours. Clinical volunteers may use this volunteer certificate and self-report hours needed to appropriate agencies.

Credit awarded for tpro bono volunteer hours is accepted at the discretion of the agency to which you report CEU’s. Per the Florida Board of Dentistry, "Dentists and dental hygienists may obtain a maximum of six (6) hours per biennium of required continuing education credit for participating in such programs. Continuing education credit shall be calculated at a ratio of 1 continuing education credit for each 1 hour of patient services provided to approved programs." FS 64B5-12.013(8)e

Florida licensed attendees must self-report pro bono credit hours to CE Broker for license renewal. These credits will be reported to the category "pro bono services."

CEU credit is only applicable for clinical shifts. Non-clinical volunteer shifts will not be accepted for pro bono CEU credit.