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Dental hygiene program back at CNC

After a two-year hiatus, the College of New Caledonia’s dental hygiene diploma program is back at the Prince George campus.

“This is great news for northern B.C. and beyond,” said President Henry Reiser, in a press release. “Hygienists are in high demand in our region and the rest of the province. So we are thrilled to announce that CNC dental hygiene graduates will be ready to work in just two short years.”

In consultation with the dental community, CNC has spent the last two years reviewing and updating the program’s curriculum to ensure it meets the unique needs of the region, meets provincially mandated outcomes, and includes new dental hygiene practices. New digital equipment was also installed in the CNC dental clinic, where students learn and practice their skills.

“The new curriculum and clinic model ensure graduates are current in their skills and knowledge,” said Dr. Glenda Vardy Dell, Dean of CNC’s School of Health Sciences. “It was an extremely hard decision to suspend the program when we did. However, CNC is committed to only offering high quality educational programs, training and delivery methods, so it was necessary.”

This fall, 14 students are enrolled in the reinstated two–year diploma program – the only one of its kind offered north of Vancouver. And while the program required some changes, CNC graduates have always succeeded in their field.

According to the results of a B.C. student outcomes survey of graduates from CNC’s Dental Hygiene program in 2016, 100 per cent of respondents were satisfied or very satisfied with their education, and 100 per cent were employed in jobs related to their training.

The reinstatement of the dental hygiene program demonstrates CNC’s ongoing commitment to provide education for northern students closer to home, and provide qualified graduates to work in northern communities.

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