College Program ‘Is Like Being in Dentist’s Office’ : They Sink Their Teeth Into School

A small sign in the lobby reads: “WORK DONE BY STUDENTS.”

Other than that, there is no visible clue that the gleaming suite of dental offices is a college laboratory. It could be a well-lighted sound set for a Hollywood medical drama. But the lab, at Cypress College, is the center of the only dental-hygiene training program in Orange County.

Outside, the scene is everyday campus: students in jeans and brightly colored shirts carrying armloads of books. But inside, there is little to suggest the college world. The students, in white uniforms and caps, are working with very real patients, taking X-rays, cleaning and sealing teeth, and performing other dental-hygiene services.

The place has more smiles than a toothpaste commercial. The students smile as they work and the patients smile back.

“Our students are highly motivated,” said Jo Ann Taylor, who directs the program. “We can only take 32 into the training program (every two years), and so there’s strong competition to get admitted. We usually have 200 or more applicants a year.

“Our graduates earn $28,000 to $30,000 a year, and we’ve never had any problem placing them, even though the dentistry and medical professions aren’t having as many patients as in the past.”

Taylor said rising health-care costs have caused some people to delay or postpone needed medical treatment, and that unfortunately, some people regard regular dental care as a luxury. But despite a nationwide downturn in the number of patients, she said, Cypress College has always found a market--usually right in Orange County--for its dental hygiene graduates.

“Last year, I was worried,” she said, “but I had positions for all my students before they graduated.”

The Cypress training is known for its quality, Taylor said, and that helps when it comes to placing the dental-hygiene grads in jobs. “We’ve won national awards for our research here, and we’re affiliated with the University of Southern California School of Dentistry,” she said.

“An unusual thing about our program is that we finance it from patient fees; we don’t have a (state-provided) instruction budget. Our patient fees are minimal--I can’t discuss exact costs because of dentistry association ethics--but they’re certainly a bargain. And we take patients of all ages, and from all over. We especially like to help the senior citizens, and they seem to love coming here.” She said appointments are open to the public.

On a recent day, the lobby of the training lab had several men, women and children awaiting their appointments with the student dental hygienists. Other students were performing clerical duties.

“We want all our students to learn how to be a team member, how to help out in every function in an office setting,” Taylor said. “We get business experience. Our students are responsible for helping to bring in patients.”

All the students who were interviewed said they considered themselves fortunate to have been admitted to the two-year program.

Taylor said the average student is a woman in her 20s or early 30s who often has some background in the field, such as previous work or schooling as a dental assistant.

“We’ve only had two men ever apply for the program,” she said. “I think it takes a lot of patience to work as a dental hygienist, and maybe women have more patience. Not all our students are young, though. We’re getting quite a few older women who are coming back into the work force or starting a second career.”

“This is a very good program; it’s like being in a dentist’s office,” said Lois Bayliss, 30, of Lynnview, as she worked on wide-eyed Jonathan Williamson, an 8-year-old from Escondido.

A few feet away, in another of the immaculate cubicles with dental chairs, Jonathan’s 7-year-old brother, Matthew, was in the chair. He showed equal interest--and occasional smiles--as Debbie Morse, of Cucamonga, worked on his teeth.

April Hardy, 10, of Fountain Valley, held a mirror in one hand, a toothbrush in the other. She was practicing the correct way to brush, under the watchful eyes of student Bobbie Marine, 23, of Fullerton. “Learning how to brush properly is a major thing children need to work on,” Marine said.

Her young patient said, “She’s nice! It’s nice coming here to get your teeth cleaned.”

Student Pam Hunsaker, 20, of Costa Mesa laughed as she confided the origin of her lifelong goal of being a dental hygienist:

“When I was in the eighth grade, I had orthodontic work--braces--and it fascinated me,” she said. “I always thought it would be a good field to go into. Being in a dental office seemed like it would be fun.”

Hunsaker’s patient, J. J. Hardy, 13, of Fountain Valley, had a testimonial for his hygienist:

“She’s good!”