WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Pennsylvania College of Technology hosted a dedication ceremony on Sept. 29 to celebrate its renovated Dental Hygiene Clinic.
The clinic is the hub for hands-on learning in Penn College’s dental hygiene majors and provides low-cost dental care for the community.
“Having the joy of ‘living through’ three dental hygiene clinics on this campus is quite a milestone,” said Penn College President Davie Jane Gilmour. “I am so proud of this new and improved facility. ‘State-of-the-art’ does not do it justice. It’s beautiful, functional and technology-driven — a great addition to our campus.”
Gilmour’s career at Penn College began as a faculty member in the dental hygiene program. Also speaking at the dedication were alumni David Tule, a registered dental hygienist for Bryden & Kessel Family Dentistry; Megan Brightbill, dental hygiene program director for Harrisburg Area Community College; and Karen Miller, an international dental hygienist and humanitarian project coordinator.
The Dental Hygiene Clinic has made its home in the Breuder Advanced Technology & Health Sciences Center since the facility opened in 1986. Over the summer, Penn College crews gutted the space and installed spacious, comfortable workstations that resemble real-world dental office settings and provide added privacy.
With the renovation comes advanced technology, including ergonomic controls, bright LED lights, updated safety features, computer integration, digital radiographs and intraoral cameras. Photos taken with the small cameras help students to educate their clients about oral-health issues they find and to insert the images directly into patients’ digital health records.
“The renovated space and new equipment will certainly provide a bright, modern learning environment that will be attractive to prospective students, while meeting the demands of today’s dental hygiene educational program needs,” said Shawn A. Kiser, director of dental hygiene at Penn College.
The renovated lab also allows space for four more workstations, meaning Penn College can accept more students into its dental hygiene majors.
Penn College offers an associate degree in dental hygiene, which can be continued to a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene: health policy and administration. The final two years of the bachelor’s degree may be pursued on campus or through online courses on a full- or part-time basis.
To learn more about dental hygiene majors at Penn College, call 570-327-4519 or visit www.pct.edu/dentalhygiene.
The Dental Hygiene Clinic is open to students and the general public. Services include cleanings, examinations, X-rays, fluoride treatments and sealants. Exam results and X-rays can be sent to the patient’s regular dentist. Appointments can be made by calling 570-327-4500.
For information about Penn College, a national leader in applied technology education and workforce development, visit www.pct.edu, email admissions@pct.edu or call toll-free 800-367-9222.