After months of construction noise ringing through the hallways, a $2.1 million expansion project for the Dental Hygienist program is complete and ready for students this fall.

The project—which began in January—has expanded the number of dental treatment chairs from 12 to 18, creating space for six more students to learn. In addition, one classroom was converted to a simulation lab with 12 dental simulators. These high-tech simulators allow students to practice dental procedures and explore various dental conditions.

Ben McKenzie, dean of Health Science, couldn't be prouder.

“The project turned out fantastic,” he says. “We are excited for students to start this fall and hope they are as impressed as we are with the clinic and simulation center.”

The upgrades also include a larger sterilization room. This new space will help reduce congestion and provide more room for cleaning, sterilizing, and storing dental instruments and equipment.

Robin Eichhorst, the Dental Hygiene department chair, believes these changes are a game-changer.

“The new central sterilization room will accommodate more students and allow them to perform sterilization tasks more efficiently,” she explains. “The added clinic space allows more flexibility for our programs to share our spaces for teaching and for our students to treat patients."