First Dental Therapy Program in the Lower 48 States Receives Accreditation
The Dental Therapy Education Program at Skagit Valley College (SVC) in Mount Vernon, Washington, received accreditation from the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), the first such program to receive CODA accreditation in the lower 48 states.
The Dental Therapy Education Program at Skagit Valley College (SVC) in Mount Vernon, Washington, received accreditation from the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), the first such program to receive CODA accreditation in the lower 48 states. The program—supported through a partnership between SVC and the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community—is designed to increase access to care among underserved populations, specifically American Indian/Alaska Native communities. The first class began the 3-year curriculum this fall. Named dəxʷx̌ayəbus, a Lushootseed phrase meaning a “place of smiles,” the program’s mission is to educate “primary oral health providers who enhance a dental team through excellence in education, research, patient care, and community service.”
From Dimensions of Dental Hygiene. October 2022; 20(10)10.
