Members of the faculty of Roane State’s dental hygiene program are, from left, director Melinda Gill, Kimball Burkett, standing to Gill’s left; and from left, Kellye Wilson, Sondra Roberts, Natalie Schubert, Wesley Singer, DDS; Michelle Jones, Pete Ruyl, DDS; Ed Guion, DDS; and Debbie Taylor. Schubert is the receptionist for the program’s dental clinic. (Photo by Roane State)
By Bob Fowler, Roane State staff writer
Roane State’s acclaimed dental hygiene program can add another recognition to its list of accomplishments.
The program, located in the Coffey-McNally Building on the college’s Oak Ridge campus, has received the 100% Faculty Award for 2017 from the American Dental Hygienists’ Association.
There are 30,000 members of the association, which is based in Chicago and more than 100 years old. Roane State was among only 25 higher education institutions nationwide to obtain the designation.
It’s bestowed when all faculty members in a dental hygiene program are also members of the ADHA.
The Roane State program will receive a certificate of achievement and will be recognized in the September/October issue of Access magazine, which is published both online and distributed nationwide to association members.
ADHA membership offers continuing education, a platform for networking with other dental hygienists, leadership opportunities and discounts on supplies, said Melinda Gill, director of Roane State’s dental hygiene program.
“The dental hygiene faculty are dedicated to showing their support for our profession, program, and advancement in education for our students,†Gill said of Roane State’s dental hygiene staff.
Students in that program, known for its rigorous curriculum and high standards, routinely score in the top 3 percent nationwide on national dental hygiene board certification scores.
More than 100 students apply for the dental hygiene program each year, but only 12 are selected.
To learn more about the program, visit roanestate.edu/dentalhygiene.
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