CVCC Partners to Provide Education for Future Dental Hygienists

Central Virginia Community College

CVCC Partners to Provide Education for Future Dental Hygienists

Virginia Western Community College will bring Curriculum to Central Virginia

Lynchburg, VA /Media Release/ -- Central Virginia Community College has partnered with Virginia Western Community College (VWCC), the Free Clinic of Central Virginia (FCCV), the Virginia Tobacco Commission, and the Lynchburg Dental Society to bring a new and fully accredited dental hygienist educational program to Lynchburg. It is a major step to filling the growing number of vacancies in dental hygiene throughout Region 2000.

CVCC President Darrel W. Staat praised the various organizations involved in bringing the program together. “It is challenging to get two institutions to partner on higher education initiatives, but when five entities are involved it requires a great deal of mutual cooperation and individual commitment to succeed. We were fortunate to have people willing to work around the many details that confronted us.”

The dental hygienist program is a product of VWCC in partnership with CVCC. Applications for admission to VWCC will be accepted by CVCC and forwarded for review to the Division of Health Technology at the Roanoke-based school. Martha Roberson, RDH, MSHA, the Program Head and Assistant Professor of Dental Hygiene, will provide and oversee instruction for the curriculum specifically related to dental hygiene studies.

The major benefit of having VWCC on board is that accreditation can take years to acquire. VWCC’s program has been accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association. The VWCC Dental Hygienist program has similar ongoing partnerships with Danville Community College and Lord Fairfax Community College. CVCC will provide general studies courses required to meet the basic requirements toward an Associate of Applied Science Degree.

All dental hygienist clinical classes will be conducted at the Free Clinic on Main Street in Lynchburg. FCCV Executive Director Robert Barlow foresees a smooth transition. “CVCC will build a dental hygiene lab next to the Greg Sheehan Arthur Dental Suite on the middle floor of the Free Clinic in early 2008,” Barlow says. “The construction will be scheduled so as not to affect the Free Clinic’s current operating schedule for its dental services.”

The FCCV will provide lab space, patients for the student interns, and additional lab times for student work. In turn, CVCC will purchase new dental hygiene instruments and equipment for all six of the Free Clinic’s dental operatories.

The dental hygienist program received substantial financial support through a grant from the Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission and contributions from the Lynchburg Dental Society.

Twelve applicants will be admitted into the program starting in the 2008-09 academic year. In accordance with the guidelines established by the Virginia Tobacco Commission, two students will be selected from each of the three counties (Appomattox, Bedford, and Campbell), serviced by both CVCC and the Commission. The remaining six positions will be filled with candidates at-large.

http://www.virginiawestern.edu/

Release Date: 9:15 AM (EDT) 01/09/08

Release Number: 080109.dentalhygienist

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Media Contact:

Kennan J. Meyer

Coordinator, Public Relations and Marketing

Central Virginia Community College

(434) 832-7609

meyerk@cvcc.vccs.edu

A Member Institution of the Virginia Community College System.