One of the really cool things I’m very much looking forward to this fall is the chance to get my teeth cleaned for next to no money.

The college has a killer good dental hygiene department, and the students are always looking for patients to hone their skills. The seniors are only a few weeks away from getting jobs in real dentists’ offices, and the instructors ride them pretty hard to make sure they’re doing it right. They need to pass their board exams, and the success rates are high. So while I’m not exactly ready to become somebody’s FIRST guinea pig, I have no problem being one of the last before graduation.

Cleanings used to be totally free, but I think they charge a dollar or two now. They give you a tube of toothpaste, a brush, and a little container of floss, too, so it’s worth it all the way around.  Now if only I can talk the administration into opening up a new department featuring one of those massage therapy schools….