Blinn celebrates 14 dental hygiene graduates with pinning ceremony

Positions for dental hygienists are in high demand with a median annual salary of $87,530

May 6, 2024

Fourteen future dental hygienists were honored Saturday, May 4, with a pinning ceremony to celebrate the completion of the Blinn College District’s nationally recognized Dental Hygiene Program.

The Blinn College Dental Hygiene Program is a competitive-entry program accepting 14 students each fall semester. Upon satisfactory completion of this two-year program, students earn an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Dental Hygiene and are eligible to take the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination and a regional/state clinical board examination.

The Class of 2024 includes Jessenia Benavides (Bryan), Anna Benitez (Fort Worth), Maisie Bobkovas (Oakhurst), Lauren Bowers (Lufkin), Alyssa Burns (Katy), Isabel Flores (Bryan), Libby Gerik (West), Kara Gordon (La Grange), Megan Krause (Round Top), Madelene Lowe (Coldspring), Hailey Neckar (Bruceville-Eddy), Martha Wilkins (Klein), Maricela Rodriguez (Hempstead), and Lauren Stafford (San Antonio).

“I am proud to congratulate these dedicated graduates who have gone above and beyond as they worked through our rigorous program,” said Lisa Wiese, Program Director. “As they embark on their professional journeys, I know their passion for oral health care and compassion for their patients will make a positive impact on countless lives.”

In addition to pursuing their degrees, Blinn dental hygiene students host an annual Give Kids a Smile event that provides exams, x-rays, cleanings, sealants, fluoride, and oral health education to local children without access to regular dental care. Through these events, the program has partnered with local dentists, hygienists, and volunteers to provide almost $300,000 to date in donated dental services to area children who need them most.

For more information regarding the Dental Hygiene Program, visit www.blinn.edu/dental-hygiene.

The Dental Hygiene Program is part of Blinn’s Division of Health Sciences, which offers associate degree nursing, emergency medical services, fire science, health information technology, physical therapist assistant, radiologic technology, surgical technology, and vocational nursing programs designed to quickly train students for high-demand professions.