Here are eight dental hygiene updates that have taken place since April 15:
1. The Pennsylvania College of Technology in Williamsport saw its largest group of dental hygiene graduates.
2. The shortage of dental hygienists has led to a scheduling backlog of up to 10 months at a Vermont practice.
3. Effingham, Ill.-based Heartland Dental launched a scholarship program for dental hygiene students at Blackhawk Technical College in Janesville, Wis.
4. Texas City, Texas-based College of the Mainland is set to launch a dental hygiene associate degree program.
5. There were more than 8,600 first-year students enrolled in dental hygiene programs during the 2022-23 academic year.
6. VideaHealth and Henry Schein One are expanding their partnership to bring AI to the dental education market.
7. A dental hygienist in Manlius, N.Y., was arrested and charged with grand larceny in connection with the theft of dental equipment from her employer.
8. The average annual salary for dental hygienists has increased each of the last five years, jumping from $77,230 in 2019 to $89,890 in 2023.