Peninsula College to launch new dental program this fall

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, May 20, 2026

PORT ANGELES — Peninsula College’s new dental hygiene program will finally welcome its first class this fall after years of planning, fundraising and construction.

College leaders said the program is intended to prepare students for well-paid, in-demand careers while helping to address a shortage of dental hygienists and gaps in care on the North Olympic Peninsula.

“This was a huge undertaking,” college President Suzy Ames said during a tour of the clinic on Monday.

“It is one of the most difficult things a community college can do.”

That shortage became clear to Ames shortly after she moved to Port Angeles.

“I called a local dentist and was shocked to hear it would take a year and a half to get your first cleaning,” Ames said. “This was a crisis in our community and one that needed to be answered.”

There is a lack of dental hygienists across the state, but scarcity is particularly acute in rural communities like Clallam and Jefferson counties with low-income populations and clinics that have long vacancies and increasing wait times for patients.

The initiative began in March 2022 with the formation of an employer advisory committee made up of local dental providers to help guide program development. A few months later, the college hired Paula Watson to lead it.

Starting a dental hygiene program from scratch can take years because of an extensive accreditation process and high startup expenses.

“It’s going to take longer than you expected and cost more than you expected,” Watson said.

Peninsula College’s program was anticipated to launch in fall 2024, but waiting for the required approval from the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) — which meets just twice a year — extended the timeline.

The college also had to essentially build a fully functioning dental clinic that mirrored a professional office — transforming spaces in the Allied Health Building that once served as a yoga studio and fisheries lab.

The clinic has eight dental treatment units, x-ray and digital scanning technology, sterilization systems, dry and wet labs and simulation equipment where students can practice procedures before they treat patients.

The last piece of the lengthy and rigorous accreditation process came last fall.

“When we had the site visit from CODA, we walked away from the intensive two-day review with no findings,” Ames said.

Early estimates for construction and equipment in 2022-23 were about $2.2 million, but costs increased significantly as the project moved forward.

The initiative received a major boost in 2024 from a $1.936 million congressional appropriation secured by U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Seattle, to support the development of the program and clinic.

“‘We could not have even begun to think about the reality of this without Sen. Murray’s support,” Ames said.

Delta Dental of Washington pledged $100,000 if the community could raise matching support as part of the organization’s broader $800,000 contribution to the project. Local health care organizations, dental providers, businesses and community supporters met the challenge.

The program has so far secured about $3.71 million — roughly 95 percent of the project’s estimated $3.89 million cost.

“This project really shows us what happens when the community invests in education,” said Cheryl Crane, executive director of the Peninsula College Foundation. “It’s improving community health and addressing a very credible need.”

Ames said operating the program will remain expensive even after construction ends.

“Every college president that runs a dental program knows it loses money when it does well,” Ames said, noting the clinic is expected to serve lower-income patients while maintaining full clinical staffing and accreditation requirements.

The Peninsula College Foundation is building a $500,000 operational endowment intended to help cover ongoing program costs, including instructors and materials such as dental instruments, bibs, sterilization material, gauze, bibs and other supplies.

Admission to the two-year associate of applied science program will be competitive. Applicants must complete all prerequisite coursework, take the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) exam, submit an essay that includes an interview with a dental hygienist and provide a letter of recommendation.

The top 20 applicants will then be interviewed, and from that group, 10 will be selected.

Watson said the goal is to prepare students for the six written and practical exams they will need to pass to earn their license.

Applications for fall are due June 1. College officials said students interested in future cohorts still have time to begin working toward enrollment in fall 2027. Information about the program and enrollment can be found at https://pencol.edu/programs/current/dental-hygiene.

Students will learn preventive cleanings, non-surgical periodontal therapy, sealants, anesthesia and cavity-fighting treatments.

The program will have two full-time faculty members as well as part-time clinical faculty and a supervising dentist. College officials said eventually the clinic will operate much like a community dental office while it serves as a teaching space.

The program launches as Peninsula College and other community colleges across the state continue to navigate rising costs and financial pressures. Even so, college leaders said they viewed the dental hygiene program as a long-term investment in both workforce training and community health.

Dental hygiene program

Peninsula College’s two-year dental hygiene program will begin classes this fall with a cohort of 10 students. College officials said the program will create a path to living-wage jobs, address local workforce shortages and provide access to oral health services in a region where many residents struggle to access dental care.

The new clinic has:

• Eight dental treatment units

• Simulation lab

• Digital imaging equipment

• X-ray and radiology training

Training includes:

• Preventative cleaning

• Radiology

• Digital photography

• Sealants

• Composite restorations

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Reporter Paula Hunt can be reached by email at paula.hunt@peninsuladailynews.com.