The goal of the program is to recruit and retain dental hygienists in the area, according to an Aug. 9 news release from the university.
The two year program begins in July each year, with the first cohort of students starting this past July.
Students applying need to have completed 60 hours of prerequisite coursework transferred from an accredited college or university. Once completing the dental hygiene program, students must pass a National Dental Hygiene Board Examination, a state or regional exam and a jurisprudence exam to become a registered dental hygienist.
Over the next two years, enrollment in the program is expected to reach 16 students, the release said.
