Middlesex College Dental Hygiene Program

Expanding Access to Critical Care
For many individuals and families, access to dental care remains one of the biggest gaps in the healthcare system, leaving preventive services out of reach until serious problems arise. “The need for affordable, accessible dental care in our community is tremendous,” explains Roman. “Many of the people we serve are older adults living on fixed incomes without dental insurance, while others face barriers related to income, transportation, or disability. Through our partnerships with organizations like the Educational Services Commission of New Jersey, we're also able to bring preventive oral healthcare directly to children with intellectual and developmental disabilities who might otherwise go without care. In some cases, it's the first time these children have ever seen a dental professional.

“We also work with Acelero Head Start, where children from low-income families come to our clinic for exams and preventive services that they may not otherwise receive,” continues Roman. “Our goal is to meet patients where they are, whether that's in a school, a community setting, or our clinic, and provide preventive care before small oral health issues become larger, more painful, and more costly problems. When we can help prevent disease, we're improving quality of life while reducing future healthcare burdens for individuals and families.”

As community needs evolve, the program continues to look for new ways to expand access to care while enhancing students' educational experiences. “We're always looking for opportunities to strengthen both the educational experience for our students and the services we provide to the community,” says Roman. “Community health is an important part of our curriculum, and we're constantly exploring how we can reach underserved populations that may have limited access to oral healthcare. Looking ahead, I'd love to see us expand into nursing homes and long-term care facilities, where oral health needs are often overlooked. We're also fortunate to receive Perkins Grant funding and a Delta Dental Grant, which has allowed us to invest in equipment that makes community outreach possible. Through those grants, we've been able to purchase mobile dental chairs, portable dental units, and mobile X-ray equipment, giving our students the ability to bring preventive care directly to schools and other community settings. Those resources have helped us extend our reach beyond campus and make a meaningful difference for populations that might otherwise go without care.”

Providing Real-World Training
The Dental Hygiene Program uses a community-focused model that benefits patients, but also gives students an educational experience that extends far beyond traditional classroom learning. “Our students learn in a real clinical environment from the very beginning, which means they're caring for actual patients with real oral health needs rather than simply practicing skills in a lab setting,” explains Roman. “That experience builds technical competence and develops the qualities that define exceptional healthcare professionals, like communication, empathy, cultural awareness, and patient management. Because we serve such a diverse community, students encounter people from many different backgrounds and life circumstances, which broadens their perspective and helps them understand the barriers some individuals face in accessing care.

“They see firsthand the impact they can have on a person's health and quality of life. Experiences like our work with children with intellectual and developmental disabilities are especially meaningful because students learn how to provide compassionate, effective care to populations they may encounter throughout their careers. By the time they graduate, they aren't just prepared to practice dental hygiene, they understand the importance of service, advocacy, and meeting patients where they are.”

Students work closely with faculty who guide their development of both technical skills and patient communication. “What makes the experience so powerful is that students can actually see the impact they're having,” shares Roman. “A patient may come into the clinic having never been to a dentist before or not understanding how oral health is connected to overall health. Then, over time, students get to see that patient become more educated and start adopting some of the recommendations they've made. Sometimes patients even ask to come back and see the same student the following semester. When students see that kind of progress, everything they're learning in the classroom and clinic comes together. It helps them build a strong sense of professional identity and take pride in the difference they're making in people's lives.”

Along with many other states in the U.S., New Jersey has experienced a significant shortage of dental assistants and hygienists in recent years. “There is definitely a workforce shortage, not just in New Jersey but across the country,” says Roman. “For every five dental hygiene positions that are open, employers are probably lucky if they can fill one. While that's challenging for dental practices, it's incredibly positive for our students. Because they're so well prepared through our program, many of them have jobs lined up before they even graduate. Our faculty do an outstanding job preparing students for private practice, and employers know that. Even with several new dental hygiene programs expected to open in the state over the next few years, the shortage is still expected to continue. As a result, our graduates are highly sought after. In fact, many of them have more opportunities than they have time to accept. They leave the program with excellent employment prospects, competitive wages, and the confidence to step directly into the profession.”