As part of the new Dental Hygienist program, Blackhawk Technical College’s new Dental Clinic is accepting community patients to provide students with an opportunity to develop their hands-on skills and provide low-cost preventive services to the public. Treatments take place at the Dental Clinic at Blackhawk’s Central Campus, 6004 S. County Road G., Janesville, in Room 2314.

A variety of dental hygiene treatments are offered, including dental cleanings, x-rays, fluoride treatments, sealant application and oral photographs. Dental hygienist students perform these services under the guidance of Dental Hygienist program staff and a supervising licensed dentist.

“Working with the community is a key part of a student’s training. This clinic will not only be an opportunity for students to gain practical experience, but it will increase access to affordable dental care in the community,” said Lisa Johnson, Dental Hygienist program director.

Appointments are available on Monday and Tuesday afternoons beginning Aug. 28, 2023.

To schedule an appointment, call (608) 743-4402 or email dental@blackhawk.edu. Due to the instructional nature of our facility, appointment times are 2-3 hours in length, and multiple appointments may be required to complete treatment.

Pricing

A flat fee for patient care will be charged per the schedule below. This fee includes services that are completed by a second-year student as part of one full-mouth hygiene treatment. Preventive and diagnostic services will be planned according to each individual patient's need.

• Adult/Adolescent (age 14+): $30
• Child (age 3-13): $20
• Infant (age 0-2): no charge

Blackhawk launched a Dental Hygienist associate degree program in fall 2022 in response to a declining oral health workforce. A recent survey published in the Journal of Dental Hygiene found that 8 percent of dental hygienists left the field during COVID, and many others are retiring without new workers to replace them.

In Wisconsin, 49 percent of dental offices are recruiting a dental hygienist, according to the Wisconsin Dental Association. In particular, Wisconsin’s community health centers, which are designed to increase access to health care for underserved communities, are struggling to fill vacant dental hygienist spots. According to a recent report by the Wisconsin Primary Health Association, 33 percent of dental hygienist positions are vacant in those centers.  

And on top of that, the need for dental hygienists is projected to grow over the next decade by nearly 10 percent, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Blackhawk’s new program takes two years to complete and prepares students to work under the direction of a licensed dentist to assist in providing oral health assessment, disease prevention and health promotion.

After completion of the program, dental hygienist graduates are required to successfully complete comprehensive written and clinical examinations given under the direction of the State Dentistry Examining Board, the American Dental Association's Joint Commission.

For more information about the new dental clinic, visit blackhawk.edu/dentalclinic.