Tri-C Dental Hygiene Program Receives Grant From Delta Dental Foundation

Funding will help expand program to more students

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) will receive a grant from the Delta Dental Foundation for $54,358 to support the expansion of the Dental Hygiene program, helping to fill a vital workforce need in Northeast Ohio.

"We're grateful for the support from the Delta Dental Foundation, which will empower our Dental Hygiene program to continue providing high-quality, accessible education to the next generation of health care professionals," said Anne Myatt, RDH, the director of the Tri-C Dental Hygiene program. "This investment not only strengthens our community's health but also opens doors for more students to achieve their full potential, ensuring a brighter, healthier future for themselves."

"Hygienists are the backbone of the oral health workforce, yet we're experiencing a nationwide shortage," said Holli Seabury, Ed.D., executive director of the Delta Dental Foundation. "Expanding the seats available at hygiene programs, like Tri-C's, is just one way we can start closing the care gap."

Tri-C's Dental Hygiene program was first accredited in 1966 by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation. Its nationally recognized faculty have graduate degrees and extensive experience clinically and in educational concepts.

Students in the two-year program complete about 2,000 hours of classroom study, with approximately 600 hours dedicated to supervised clinical dental hygiene instruction in the Dental Hygiene Clinic at Tri-C. The clinic is an educational facility where students provide care with close supervision by clinical faculty and a dentist.

The program currently accepts 22 students each year, with plans to expand enrollment to 28 students annually by using the grant for additional training equipment and minor remodeling.

"Increasing our capacity will greatly reduce our current one-year waitlist," Myatt said. "Additionally, more students and community members will have access to low-cost, quality preventive and therapeutic dental hygiene care with additional student hygienists providing care in our Dental Hygiene Clinic."

In the last 50 years, dental hygiene has emerged and grown as a career path. As licensed professionals, dental hygienists provide education and treatment to prevent cavities and periodontal disease. They help patients maintain healthy teeth and gums, promoting overall wellness.

Learn more about the Dental Hygiene program on the Tri-C website.

October 24, 2024

MEDIA CONTACT: Anthony Moujaes, 216-987-3068 or anthony.moujaes@tri-c.edu