Program Spotlights
2022–2023 COMMUNITY REPORT
Dental Hygiene Receives Green Light for Bachelor’s Program In March, FCC received provisional approval for the first bachelors’ program for the Dental Hygiene program. Traditionally, community college offer two-year associate degrees, but since the 2017-18 aca- demic year, the state has moved to pilot four-year bachelor’s degree programs at community colleges. According to Lorraine Smith, the Dean of Instruction, Allied Health, Physical Education & Athletics Division, a bachelor’s degree is not required to work in the dental hygiene field, students need 107 units to earn an associate’s degree in dental hygiene. “They only need 13 more units to earn a bach- elor’s degree. This degree recognizes the work that students currently complete; we believe that not awarding a bachelor’s degree disadvantages students from future opportunities,” said Smith. The profession is moving towards awarding bachelor’s degrees – 27% of statewide awards in 2020-2021 were bachelor’s degrees. Dental offices surveyed prefer students with a bachelor’s degree. “The bachelor’s degree opens opportunities for students in closely related fields like dental education, corporate health, public health, and other leadership roles in the community,” she added.
The California Community College Chancellors Office DataMart reports that 500 students, represent- ing 27% of all program awards, were awarded bachelor’s degrees in dental hygiene over the last five years, demonstrating strong student interest in the programs.
California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office Program Awards Summary Report – Dental Hygiene Annual 2017 – 2018
Annual 2018 – 2019
Annual 2019 – 2020
Annual 2020– 2021
Annual 2021 – 2022 Total
Percent of Total
Baccalaureate of Science (B.S.) degree Associate of Science (A.S.) degree
51
93
103
116 326
137 214
500
27% 58%
224
241
62 37
1,067
Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree
44
35
17
33
166
9%
Total
331
386
213
502
409
1,841
Source: CCCCO DataMart; Note: total does not include certificate completions
Student Transfers Student transfers reflect the commitment of students to obtain advanced degrees. Over the past ten years, 31 students who graduated with an Asso- ciate of Science degree in Dental Hygiene from Fresno City College transferred to other institutions. Tiny Homes Project
Students in the FCC construction program will be doing their part to help alleviate the City of Fresno’s critical need for affordable housing and help the unhoused population. Construction classes will be working on the City of Fresno’s Tiny Homes Project. Students will be building 24 tiny homes over the next five years that the city will then place in areas to be announced. The City will provide $849,209.00 to fund the construction of these special homes. The tiny home grant comes from the city of Fresno’s American Rescue Plan Act money, which is federal funding approved by Congress and President Joe Biden to aid economic recovery during the pandemic. The college is using design plans supplied by California Tiny House, a Fresno based tiny home builder. Each tiny home includes one-bedroom, 8 -by- 20-foot homes built on wheels and includes a bathroom and mini kitchen. The homes are being constructed on campus by students in two construction courses, foundations and framing, and interiors and exteriors.
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