Nicolet College’s Dental Hygiene program recently received its academic seal of the approval from the national Commission on Dental Accreditation and has been granted initial accreditation.

The Commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education.

“This is great news, especially for the students in the Dental Hygiene program,” said Lenore Mangles, Nicolet dean of Health Occupations. “In order for students to take their licensure exam to work in the Dental Hygiene field, they must graduate from an accredited program. We are thrilled students in the Northwoods will now have that opportunity.”

The rigorous accreditation process started nearly a year ago and included a comprehensive review of numerous different aspects of Nicolet’s program. This included an evaluation of course content and the skills students would learn, a plan for students to get clinical training on patients of all ages with a broad range of oral health issues, instructor credentials, and the college’s partnership with dental clinics.

To meet the last requirement, the college has worked hand-in-hand with staff at the new Peter Christensen Dental Clinic in Lac du Flambeau. Students in Nicolet’s two-year Dental Hygiene program will get much of their training in this state-of-the-art facility.

Mangles also noted that there is still room in dental classes for Fall Semester, which starts Monday, Aug. 26.

For more information about Nicolet’s dental training programs, visit nicoletcollege.edu or call the college at 715-365-4451, 800-544-3039, ext. 4451; TDD 715-365-4448.

The Commission on Dental Accreditation can be contacted at (312) 440-4653 or at 211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611. The Commission’s web address is www.ada.org/100.aspx.