Southern Illinois University · Dental Hygiene Clinic

Gentle, affordable dental care in Carbondale.

I'm Macey — a dental hygiene student at SIU. Book with me for a cleaning, exam, or X-rays at a fraction of what a private practice charges, with every step of your care reviewed by clinic faculty.

Request an appointment (270) 217-3539
  • $15 adult cleaning
  • $115 maximum total
  • Mon & Wed 1:00–4:15 PM
Macey Purcell, dental hygiene student at Southern Illinois University.

Macey Purcell

Our Services & Pricing

Straightforward prices, no insurance needed

We're a self-pay clinic. Your treatment plan is decided at your appointment based on what you actually need — so these are the individual service prices, not a bundle.

  • Comprehensive Exam $35
  • Full Mouth X-Ray (FMX) $30
  • Panoramic X-Ray $30
  • Bite Wing X-Ray $20
  • Adult Cleaning $15
  • Child Cleaning $10
  • Fluoride $5

$115

is the most you will pay — total.

Even if your care takes several appointments to complete, your total cost of treatment will not exceed $115. Optional add-ons such as sealants are available for an extra fee.

No insurance accepted

We're a self-pay clinic and do not bill or accept any insurance plans.

No quotes beforehand

Pricing depends on the treatment plan created at your visit, so we can't provide an estimate in advance. Every appointment is tentatively scheduled for an exam, X-rays, and a cleaning.

Payment is due at your visit

We accept cash, check, and credit card. Unpaid balances may result in permanent dismissal from future treatment at the clinic.

Bring exact change

We cannot make change for $50 and $100 bills — please come prepared with the exact amount if you're paying in cash.

What to Expect

Your visit, start to finish

Our clinic works differently from a traditional dental office. Students are actively learning and being evaluated throughout your treatment, so appointments run longer and usually take more than one visit.

3.5hrs

Each appointment

2–4visits

To complete your care

30min

Arrive before your time

Appointment length

Your first appointment lasts about 3.5 hours. Depending on your individual needs, another 2 to 4 appointments may be required to complete treatment, each about 3.5 hours long.

If additional visits are needed, I'll go over it with you during your first appointment and schedule them right then. It's worth grabbing a post-dated parking pass for those future visits while you're at the front desk.

Arrive 30 minutes early

Please arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled time so there's enough room for parking and the required paperwork.

You can save a big chunk of that paperwork time by filling out the health history form at home — download it here and bring it with you.

Why attendance matters

By scheduling with me, you're partnering with a dental hygiene student through your whole course of treatment. Students have limited clinic chair-time to complete required assessments and patient care, so consistent attendance is essential.

Missed appointments can significantly affect a student's ability to meet program requirements and may hurt their course grade.

Cancelling or rescheduling

If you need to cancel or reschedule — or you feel our clinic isn't the best fit for your needs — please call (618) 453-8826 at least 24 hours in advance. Timely notice lets a student fill their chair and helps us see other patients waiting for care.

Repeated late cancellations, no call / no shows, or failure to give adequate notice may result in permanent dismissal from future treatment.

We'll call you on the business day before your appointment to confirm. Our clinic is committed to a welcoming, professional, and respectful environment for patients, students, faculty, and staff — thank you for helping us keep it that way.

Before You Come

Two questions to answer ahead of time

Handling these before your appointment keeps your visit efficient and can save you both time and money.

Have you had dental X-rays taken in the last 3 years?

No

We'll likely take new X-rays during your visit. Nothing to do in advance.

Yes

Please contact your previous dental office as soon as possible and ask them to email your X-rays to SIUDHCLINIC@siu.edu.

Give that office your own email address too, so you can follow up and confirm the images actually arrived before your appointment. Having your records on hand ahead of time means faster, more efficient care — and may save you the cost of retaking them.

Have you ever had a heart condition or a joint replacement?

No

Great — no further action is needed.

Yes

Some medical conditions require an antibiotic before a dental cleaning. During treatment, bacteria from the mouth can enter the bloodstream, and pre-medication (antibiotic prophylaxis) may be recommended to protect patients at higher risk of infection.

Please tell your student hygienist or the front desk about your condition, and talk with your physician as soon as possible about whether an antibiotic is needed.

  • If pre-medication isn't required: we may still need written documentation that you are medically cleared for a dental cleaning and that we have permission to proceed. Bring that clearance letter with you, or email it ahead to SIUDHCLINIC@siu.edu to avoid delays.
  • If pre-medication is required: your physician will send a prescription to your pharmacy. Follow their instructions on timing — it's typically taken one hour before your appointment.

Finding Us

Directions & parking

Use Google Maps to navigate. Apple Maps may not direct you accurately to our location.

The clinic sits across from the Banterra Center on the SIU campus, near the one-way circular drive, six large flowerpots, and a maroon Dental Clinics sign. You'll know the entrance by the two Saluki dog images on the front doors.

Where to park

  • Park only in designated Patient Parking spaces (marked with black-and-white signs) or Meter Parking, just beyond the blue dumpster.
  • Backing into spaces is not permitted.
  • Students with a red commuter decal must park in the designated red lot across the street.
  • Handicap parking: patients with a valid placard or plate may use the accessible spaces located just before the Patient Parking area. No SIU parking pass is required.

Your parking pass

  • After parking, check in at the Dental Hygiene Clinic — the first desk as you walk in — to get your SIU Patient Parking Pass.
  • Place the pass face up on your dashboard, clearly visible, to avoid a citation.
  • Parking is covered in designated spaces only when a valid pass is displayed. Do not pay for meter parking — fees paid in error cannot be refunded.
  • The pass must show the correct appointment date. An incorrect, missing, or altered date may result in a citation.
  • Have a future appointment? Ask the front desk for a post-dated pass while you're there.

Let's Get You Scheduled

Request an appointment

Send me a few details and I'll reach out to find a time that works. Appointments are Monday and Wednesday afternoons, 1:00–4:15 PM.

Used to pull the right chart at check-in.

Required only if you'd like me to contact you by email.

Date of your last dental cleaning

Don't remember exactly? An estimate is completely fine.

How would you like me to reach you?

Select all that work for you.

Please keep this general — don't send detailed medical information through this form. We'll go over your health history in person.

This form isn't a secure medical channel. It's used only to get in touch about scheduling — your details won't be shared with anyone outside the clinic.

Prefer to skip the form? Text or call (270) 217-3539, or email macey.purcell@siu.edu.