ACC officials celebrated the opening of the newly renovated space at the ACC Eastview Campus with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Oct. 1. Through the facility, ACC is projected to nearly double the dental hygiene program’s enrollment and provide affordable dental care to more community members, Michelle Landrum, ACC Dental Hygiene department chair, told Community Impact.
“ACC's dental hygiene program expansion opened doors of opportunity, not only for me, not only for our classmates, but for our surrounding communities in need of reliable access to preventive dental care,” dental hygiene student Lauren Smith said.
The details
Since 2003, ACC’s two-year program has trained students to become dental hygienists through hands-on work experience at its on-site dental clinic. The new 13,800-square-foot dental hygiene facility has increased the number of operatories from 16 to 32, allowing students to treat more patients.
The $8 million project was funded by ACC’s $770 million bond election in 2022, according to ACC information. The training facility is stocked with highly expensive technology at its new materials lab, X-ray room and sterilization room, Landrum said.
The Central Texas area has seen “an incredible shortage” of dental hygienists following the COVID-19 pandemic, Landrum said. The ACC dental hygiene program receives constant emails from dentists about job openings, she said.
A 2019 study by the Texas Department of State Health Services projected that the demand for dental hygienists would outpace supply from 2018 to 2030. In Central Texas, the shortage of dental hygienists was projected to raise by 116.4% from 2018 to 2030, according to the report.
“Across Texas, dentists are having a very difficult time treating all of their patients because there are just not enough dental hygienists,” said Dr. Shailee Gupta, local dentist and member of Capital Area Dental Society. “Texas's dental hygiene shortage is creating a crisis in our state's dental workforce.”
Gupta and Sara Carter, executive director for Capital Area Dental Society, said the organization and many local dentists advocated for the ACC board of trustees to include the new dental hygiene clinic in the college’s 2022 bond and expand the program to other campuses.
“This isn't just about adding more space, it's about expanding opportunities, enhancing education and strengthening our joint commitment to public health,” Carter said.
The impact
The ACC clinic provides affordable dental care that some patients could not otherwise access, Landrum said. While some private practices charge thousands of dollars for their services, the ACC clinic provides gum therapy services for $40 and cleanings for $20.
ACC receives many referrals from federally qualified health care centers in the area that don’t provide extensive periodontal care, she said.
"The graduates are going out into Central Texas along with our Central Texas dentists and providing essential preventative care and educating the public on maintaining healthy smiles,” Carter said. “This expansion represents a vital investment in the future of health care in our region.”
The facility provides unique opportunities for dental hygiene students who may receive all necessary certifications at ACC, including certifications to administer anesthesia, provide laser therapy and monitor nitrous oxide sedation, Landrum said. All dental hygiene students in the class of 2025 graduated and passed the National Board exam on their first attempt, said Nina Almasy, ACC associate vice chancellor of health sciences.
Stay tuned
ACC is planning to launch a campaign this spring to recruit more patients in the community, Landrum said.
The community college system is hoping to open a dental hygiene program at the Hays Campus by 2028, she said. ACC may eventually expand the dental hygiene program to the Round Rock Campus, ACC trustee Steve Jackobs said.
“We are embarking on more exciting health science expansion plans, including new growth in the south region and to prepare even more outstanding graduates for the health care workforce needs,” Almasy said.
