Fresno City College now offering a Bachelor of Science Degree in Dental Hygiene

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Fresno City College is making it easier for students to advance their education.

For the first time, the college is offering a Bachelor of Science Degree in Dental Hygiene.

Naomi Jackson is a first-year student at Fresno City College, working toward becoming a dental hygienist.

Living in Atwater, she wanted to find a program close to home.

"I was looking for what dental hygiene schools are in California and which ones are close to home and Fresno city hit all of those boxes." Jackson said.

FCC has had an associate's degree program for 50 years, but this year that changed as the associate's degree is beginning to be phased out and, for the first time, FCC offered a Bachelor's in Science Degree in Dental Hygiene.

Jackson applied, but it's a lottery based application.

Only 30 students were being accepted, so it was a big deal when Jackson got the news she got into the program.

"I was super excited. I actually cried when I got accepted because I had put so much effort in just the application process getting everything ready and I really wanted to do this so it was tears of joy." Jackson said.

FCC Dean of Allied Health Programs Lorraine Smith says this has been a goal for FCC for nearly a decade.

"Our students graduate with over 100 units as an associate's degree and they were taking four years to complete their education, so it just made sense to convert that program into a bachelor's degree." Smith said.

Dental Hygiene Coordinator Joanne Pacheco says faculty and administration worked hard to get the program ready to launch.

"The curriculum had to be completely redone, units were added to then fulfill the upper division general education in combination with the dental hygiene classes." Pacheco said.

After going through multiple stages of approval, in 2023 FCC was given the green light to formally roll out the program.

Pacheco says this degree will give students more opportunities for their future.

"The advancement of the degree allows students to work outside of the clinical environment -- such as they can work in corporate, they can in education, they can work in hospitals. so we are expanding the role for the dental hygienist." Pacheco said.

Smith says she believes this is just the beginning for Fresno City College further advancing student's education.

"I think this is only the start. We have other allied health program that could probably do the same thing." Smith said.

The students are always looking for patients.

Community members can get affordable appointments at FCC dental clinics. Click here to learn more about cost and making an appointment.

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