Tunxis Dental Hygiene Program Celebrates 40th Anniversary

Tunxis Community College in Farmington is celebrating the 40th graduating class of its Dental Hygiene program this May.

The program prepares students for occupations as dental hygienists in an on-campus dental lab and through hands-on learning in community health care centers and clinics, where they learn how to assess and document patients’ oral health, provide preventive dental care, and educate patients on techniques to improve their oral health.

“Our program differs from many dental hygiene programs in that our students go to clinical sites in the community to treat a diverse range of patients rather than patients coming to us on campus,” said Patricia Johnson, Tunxis dental hygiene program coordinator.

Tunxis dental hygiene students have many opportunities to participate in community outreach projects on the local, national and international level, providing services to underserved populations including children, the elderly and those without dental insurance.

Students of the dental hygiene program have collectively seen close to 149,000 patients to date in community clinics throughout Connecticut since its founding in 1976. Students also see over 2,000 public school students annually in New Britain, Hartford, and Plainville, where they provide screenings and oral health education.

Accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation, Tunxis is the only public college in the state to provide a degree in dental hygiene.

The dental hygiene program has special admissions requirements and application deadlines. To learn about the program and upcoming information sessions, visit tunxis.edu/ah, call 860.773.1489, or email astrack@tunxis.edu.