| OXNARD COLLEGE DENTAL HYGIENE PROGRAM RANKED 5TH AMONG DENTAL SCHOOLS NATIONWIDE
Based on the results of Oxnard College dental hygiene students who recently took the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination tests, the Oxnard College Dental Hygiene program has been ranked fifth among the top 236 accredited schools in the nation.
It is the highest ranking the Oxnard College Dental Hygiene program has ever achieved, said Dr. Steven Hall, Dean of Math/Science/Health at Oxnard College.
“We are very proud of the accomplishments that the OC Dental Hygiene students have made and we want to congratulate all of them,” he said, adding, “It is a reflection of the students’ hard work, commitment and perseverance.”
The sixteen OC students who took the National Board exams graduated from the Dental Hygiene program in May after an intensive, two-year program of study and clinical work. The National Board Dental Hygiene Examination tests students on their abilities in areas such as anatomical sciences, pharmacology, general pathology, immunology, radiology, patient assessment, community health and preventative care.
Dr. Betsy Lindbergh, Dental Hygiene program coordinator, gave credit to the camaraderie of the students and the professionalism of the faculty and staff members – many of them practicing dentists and surgeons – who taught the classes.
“It was really a great class,” Dr. Lindbergh added. “They were very involved in the community – offering low-cost teeth cleaning clinics – and this year they established their alumni association and elected a president.”
A number of the students have plans to continue their education and earn bachelors degrees in dental hygiene, while one wants to teach and at least one other student has entered dental school.
The National Board exams are administered by the Commission on Dental Accreditation for the American Dental Association. There are approximately 236 Commission-accredited dental hygiene programs in the United States.
Most states will only license dental hygiene candidates who obtain a passing score on the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination in addition to passing the state-authorized licensure examination.
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