(MURRAY, Ky.) – Murray State University has received a $40,000 grant to help launch a new dental hygiene program aimed at addressing a critical shortage of oral health professionals in rural western Kentucky.
The Delta Dental of Kentucky Foundation awarded the funding to Murray State’s School of Nursing and Health Professions to support development and implementation of an Associate of Science in Dental Hygiene program. The university has already cleared major regulatory hurdles, receiving approval from the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. An initial application has been submitted to the Commission on Dental Accreditation.
The program comes as demand for dental hygienists continues to surge nationwide. Bureau of Labor Statistics data from 2021 projects an 11 percent growth in dental hygienist employment between 2020 and 2030, with approximately 15,000 job openings expected annually.
Murray State’s program will span six semesters, including one semester of prerequisite courses followed by five semesters of dental hygiene core curriculum. The program aims to prepare students as “scientifically oriented, technologically skilled, and ethically sound professionals” capable of working in multiple healthcare settings, according to university officials.
“We are grateful for the support provided by the Delta Dental Foundation,” said Dr. Dina Byers, dean of the School of Nursing and Health Professions. “This funding will allow us to purchase supplies and/or equipment that is needed. This endeavor is a shared commitment to improving oral health outcomes and expanding the dental hygiene workforce in our region.”
Graduates will be trained to provide evidence-based preventative care and therapeutic services to patients across all age groups.
