PORT ANGELES — Peninsula College has cleared two major hurdles in launching its new Dental Hygiene program.
The college announced it has received initial accreditation from the Commission on Dental Accreditation and secured an $800,000 grant from Delta Dental of Washington to support the program.
College President Suzy Ames called it a “big day” for the region, saying the program will create a homegrown pipeline of dental hygienists trained locally to serve the North Olympic Peninsula.
The Dental Hygiene Associate of Applied Science–Transfer degree will begin enrolling students this fall, with the first cohort of 10 students expected to graduate in spring 2028.
The program comes as Washington faces a critical shortage of dental hygienists — particularly in rural and underserved communities like Clallam and Jefferson counties. State data shows an estimated 138 job openings per year through 2030, with average wages locally ranging from 58 to 68 dollars per hour.
Students will train in small classes and gain hands-on experience in a new on-campus dental clinic, which will offer low-cost services to the public.
The application deadline is June 1, with classes beginning September 21.