Baker College of Clinton Township to offer dental hygiene program

Baker College of Clinton Township will offer an Associate of Science in dental hygiene beginning fall 2015 and has renovated one of its buildings to create the Center for Dental Hygiene Education to house the new program.

“The Center for Dental Hygiene Education will meet the unique training needs of Baker College’s dental hygiene program,” said Iris Lane, Ed.D., Baker College of Clinton Township dean of health sciences. “The Center features a state-of-the-art, modern dental clinic and laboratory where students will hone their skills in order to be job ready at graduation.”

More than 32,600 square feet of the former “C” Building have been transformed into dental classrooms, a practice laboratory and 20 patient care operatories with the most current equipment and technology. The renovation is complete; only a few pieces of dental equipment and furniture remain to be delivered and put in place.

Lane explained that the new center and program will also benefit the community by offering reduced-cost dental treatment services to the public beginning early 2016. Students, under the supervision of practicing dental professionals, will gain experience by performing the services. An appointment system is expected to be up and running in the fall.

Enrollment in the dental hygiene program is limited to 36 students for each cohort. As a career college, Baker College gauges area employment needs and determines class sizes to meet those needs. This helps ensure that Baker College graduates are in demand by local employers.

The dental hygiene program prepares students to become dental hygienists whose work includes performing oral health care assessments and dental cleanings, applying cavity prevention agents and local anesthesia, and taking and interpreting dental x-rays. Courses are taught by licensed dentists and dental hygienists.

Graduates will be prepared to pass the national and regional board examinations to become licensed dental hygienists. They are qualified for entry-level positions in a number of settings, including private dental offices, schools, public health clinics, hospitals, correctional institutions and nursing homes, among others.

Dentists and other dental professionals are among members of the dental hygiene program advisory board. They offer guidance and input to Baker College administrators, ensuring program curriculum is current with the technological advances and demands of the field.

“Dental hygienists play a key role in good dental hygiene,” Lane said. “They are the first to see and thoroughly examine patients during regular dental appointments, and they provide education to prevent diseases of the teeth and gums.”

Baker College’s dental hygiene program is accredited by the American Dental Association’s Commission on Dental Accreditation, receiving the accreditation status of “approval without reporting requirements.”
For information about the dental hygiene program at Baker College of Clinton Township, contact Annette Looser in the admissions office at 586.791.3000 or annette.looser@baker.edu.

The largest private college in Michigan, Baker College is a not-for-profit higher education institution accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. It serves more than 28,000 students on multiple campuses and online. Baker grants certificates and associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in more than 150 programs across diverse academic fields, including business, health sciences, engineering, information technology, education and human services. An impressive 97 percent of available graduates are employed. Every Baker graduate receives Lifetime Employment Assistance—free and forever. Baker is a pioneer in online education and offers students the option of completing a degree 100 percent online, without ever visiting a campus. For information, visit www.baker.edu or follow Baker College on Twitter, @bakercollege, or on Facebook, www.facebook.com/bakercollege.
# # #

Captions:
More than 32,600 square feet of building space has been renovated to create the Baker College of Clinton Township Center for Dental Hygiene Education. It will house the new dental hygiene associate program that launches 2015 fall quarter. Classes begin Monday, Sept. 28.

The Baker College of Clinton Township Center for Dental Hygiene Education features a state-of-the-art, modern dental clinic with 20 patient care operatories where students will hone their skills to become dental hygienists.