North Central Michigan College to introduce new Associate of Applied Science in Dental Hygiene
The program was recently approved by the NCMC Board of Trustees to become the college’s first for-credit dental sciences program. It is expected to launch in the Fall 2028 semester.
North Central Michigan College will be introducing an Associate of Applied Science in Dental Hygiene program in the Fall 2028 semester. It will become the college’s first for-credit program in dental science and has been created to help the community through more accessible dental hygiene training and strengthening the local workforce with qualified dental hygienists.
According to an article on North Central Michigan College’s website, David Roland Finley, the college’s president, was quoted as saying of the new program, “North Central’s new dental hygiene program responds to employer demand and supports long-term health outcomes. It will offer students a clear, affordable pathway into a growing profession with strong earning potential. We see it as a meaningful ‘win-win’ for our students and the communities they live in and serve.”
The Associate of Applied Science in Dental Hygiene program will be a cohort-based program, with a new cohort of students entering the program each fall. It is planned that each cohort will consist of 15 students. The program duration is three years, with the first year’s classes consisting of general education courses and introductory dental courses, and the following two years will have more in-depth classroom work and clinical instruction.
Students who complete the program will be able to sit for the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination and the American Board of Dental Examiners clinical examination, both of which are required to become a licensed dental hygienist in Michigan.
Rico Breznau, MA, RDH, RDA, the program’s director, explained that individuals pursuing licensure as dental hygienists is important for the region. He said, “By training dental hygienists locally, North Central will help meet employer demand while improving access to care, especially for patients and families who are most affected when preventive services are delayed or unavailable.”
While the program has been approved by the NCMC Board of Trustees, it still requires approval from outside entities like the Commission on Dental Accreditation, the Higher Learning Commission, and the U.S. Department of Education, which is why the projected start date of the program is Fall 2028.
Additionally, the college plans to host the program offsite at a proposed clinic which will serve as both an instructional space and a space for patients to receive care, a significant boon to the region.
For more information about North Central Michigan College, visit the school’s website.