Children in the Dominican Republic may have healthier teeth thanks to human services technology students at Edgecombe Community College.

The students recently collected more than 150 pounds of dental hygiene supplies that were be distributed to children at the Orphanage Outreach facility in Monte Cristi, Dominican Republic. The drive, called the Global Community Service Project, was held in February and was a joint effort with students in the pre-dental club at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

Contributed photo (ENLARGE)

Participants in the Global Community Service Project are, from left, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill student Alexis Brown, Edgecombe Community College health information technology students Selma Staton, Marjorie Harper, Jimmy Morgan, Kimberly Mack, Melissa Heggs, Mary Dancy, Linda Brinson, Gwenetta Themes, and UNC student Chelsea Marcuard. The ECC students collected 150 pounds of dental hygiene supplies.

The supplies were donated by the ECC community, churches, schools, friends, family, and two Rocky Mount dentists, Dr. Ted Strickland and Dr. James Harrold.

The UNC students collected 1,500 pounds of dental supplies that they distributed during their spring break.

In addition to visiting the orphanage, the students helped U.S. volunteer dentists in making dental hygiene presentations in impoverished areas.

Two UNC students visited ECC's Rocky Mount campus recently to pick up the donated dental supplies and to thank the ECC students for their participation.

"This is a big help and an amazing effort," said Chelsea Marcuard, a UNC-CH student.

Marcuard was joined by UNC student Alexis Brown, a Rocky Mount native and a graduate of Northern Nash High School.

Upon their return, the UNC students visited the ECC class to talk about their experiences.