VPCC Pauses Dental Hygiene Enrollment, Closes Historic Triangle Dental Clinic

Virginia Peninsula Community College (VPCC) is currently reviewing its Dental Hygiene program, which will not enroll new students for the next two years. This pause is to update the program with help from other Virginia Community Colleges System (VCCS) institutions. As a result, the Dental Clinic at the Historic Triangle campus in Williamsburg will close on May 15.

The Local College Board supports the decision to temporarily leave the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). This allows VPCC time to improve the Dental Hygiene curriculum. This action does not mean the program is ending, but is a step to keep it relevant and sustainable. VPCC is working with Germanna, Northern Virginia, and Virginia Western community colleges to create a new model for dental hygiene education.

Although VPCC will not accept new Dental Hygiene students for the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 academic years, it continues to support students through the Health Science program. This program prepares students for dental hygiene studies at institutions like Old Dominion University and Virginia Commonwealth University, and provides a base for other health careers. Interim Dean Michelle Alexander stated the college's commitment to helping students with their educational choices.

The Dental Clinic's closure at the Historic Triangle campus stops its service of providing community dental care. However, VPCC is committed to helping community members find other local dental services, such as those offered by the Lackey Clinic in Yorktown and the Olde Town Medical Center in James City County.

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