California Dental Hygiene Program’s Approval Revoked

The Dental Hygiene Committee of California (DHCC) formally withdrew its approval for the dental hygiene program at Concorde Career College in Garden Grove, California, on August 20. This Southern California program faced scrutiny after complaints from students and faculty regarding program shortfalls—most critically, serious lapses in infection control standards and protocols, which were highlighted in an unannounced site visit by a DHCC investigator on June 28. The investigator found that many standards as set by the Commission on Dental Accreditation and California Code of Regulations were violated, including sharps containers not being emptied; lack of spore testing; insufficient instrument sterilization; and lack of monitoring of sterilization procedures and equipment. According to the investigation, the general facility of the dental hygiene program also lacked proper setup. The college has the opportunity for reinstatement should these issues be addressed according to the DHCC’s specifications.

From Dimensions of Dental Hygiene. October 2016;14(10):20.