Congratulations are in order for the 2019 Class of Dental Hygiene students from Columbus Technical College.  The students have completed their requirements for the associate degree in dental hygiene and are eligible to walk at the College’s graduation ceremony on June 13, 2019. All  fifteen members of the class successfully completed the stringent clinical testing requirements in order to pass their certification exam.  This was the first time in four years every dental hygiene student passed on the first attempt!

Central Regional Dental Testing Services requires students to recruit a patient that has a significant amount of calculus (a.k.a. tartar) on their teeth.  Typically, the patient is an individual who hasn’t had their teeth professionally cleaned in several years.  The student and patient travel to Atlanta Technical College for the clinical exam.  Aside from the cleaning, the student was evaluated on other oral assessments – all within a two-hour time frame.  The process is extremely rigorous, and instructors at Columbus Technical College couldn’t be more pleased with their students.

“The dental hygiene faculty at Columbus Tech is extremely proud of its students and their accomplishments,” said Clinical Coordinator Amber Brazile.  “To achieve a 100 percent pass rate on the CRDTS exam on the first attempt requires a lot of hard work and dedication.  We can’t wait to see what the future holds for this class.” The Program Director, Casey Morris applauds all of the faculty – full time and adjunct for their dedication to prepare this class successfully with the necessary skills to pass the ‘board exams’.

Results are coming in regarding the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE) licensure exam. When a dental hygiene student passes the NBDHE and the CRDTS exams and the CODA accredited curriculum offered by Columbus Technical College, they can legally apply for licensure in the state and elsewhere to become a registered dental hygienist (RDH).  Licensure approval occurs during the summer meeting of the Georgia Dental Association.

Dental hygiene is a field with an expected job growth rate of 20 percent – much higher than average occupations.  According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, (BLS) dental hygiene is a very lucrative career path.  As of May 2018, BLS reports the mean salary in Georgia is $65,650.  For more information on the dental hygiene associate degree program at Columbus Technical College, please visit our website or call 706-225-0502.