Pima Medical Institute’s Seattle Dental Hygiene Program: A Commitment to Students and Community Care

At Pima Medical Institute’s Seattle campus, the dental hygiene program is more than just an educational experience, it is a pathway to community impact. With a commitment to both student success and public health, the program provides hands-on learning opportunities and has a long-standing passion for helping its underserved friends and neighbors.

Pima Medical’s philosophy is to provide students with quality education to ensure they are well prepared for careers in health care. Seattle’s Dental Hygiene Program strives to meet these ever-evolving needs while having a positive impact on the community. Community outreach helps increase access to care for those in surrounding areas and provides a well-rounded, experiential learning environment for students in the dental hygiene program. The curriculum provides students with the opportunity to volunteer with organizations like nonprofit groups, schools and public health agencies where they can apply concepts learned throughout the program to help address the needs of the community.

“Our goal is not just to train exceptional dental hygienists but also instill in them a lifelong commitment to service,” said Carmon Stone, M.Ed., RDH, Program Director of the Pima Medical Institute’s Seattle Dental Hygiene Program. “By engaging with the community, our students develop both technical expertise and a deep understanding of the importance of accessible dental care.”

A perfect example is the annual, free Dental Care for Kids event. Designed for children ages 14 to 17 years, the event provides an additional avenue for families to receive care for their children.

In addition, Pima Medical’s students participate in experiential learning that enforces learned concepts and strategies, which provide valuable education and skill development within the surrounding communities. These activities support improved oral health outcomes within those communities and provide students with the opportunity to work with organizations like childcare centers, long-term living facilities and shelters—addressing the more vulnerable populations within the community. A better-prepared workforce entering the public health sphere can contribute to healthier communities and improved access to care.

The dental hygiene program also provides other health care professions with tools they can use with their patients and community to help improve oral health outcomes and promote overall oral health. Interprofessional collaboration is used in outside organizations and professions and with the other programs within Pima Medical.

Promotional, educational and communications skills are some of the concepts delivered through educational presentations to increase understanding of the oral-systemic link and improve interconnectivity between health care professions. Addressing and instilling values of interprofessional collaboration before students graduate and enter the field can better prepare them to address their patient and/or community needs with a larger, full-scoped lens.

The future of health care will require providers to be versed in interprofessional collaboration and program development to address the ever-changing needs of the community.

Pima Medical’s Seattle Dental Hygiene Program remains focused on staying abreast of these changes and adapting education and community outreach to ensure students are fully prepared to take on and adapt to the health and communities they work in. Collaboration with other professions improves continuity of care and thus helps improve the overall health of individuals and the communities where they live.

Courtesy of Pima Medical Institute’s Seattle Dental Hygiene Program