The partnership allows for the program to receive $100,000 of state funding, which will be used to purchase new equipment, train instructors and provide instructional support at Jordan Valley facilities.
Ozarks Tech said in a statement the investment will “increase student access to hands-on clinical training while strengthening the region’s dental health care workforce.”
“At Jordan Valley Health, our mission is to improve our community’s health through access and relationships,” said Jordan Valley Health Chief Dental Officer Dr. Ashley Popejoy in a statement.
Popejoy added that the collaboration is a testament to this mission.
In addition to the financial expansion, Ozarks Tech plans to add eight student seats to the dental hygiene program with approval from the Commission on Dental Accreditation. This will take their annual capacity from 20 to 28 students, beginning in fall of 2027.
This expansion is in response to an ongoing nationwide shortage of dental hygienists, according to Ozarks Tech.