Educating dental hygienists in Kansas

Kansas has about two dentists for every hygienist. Most dental hygiene programs are situated in junior or community colleges. The trend is toward two-year programs. About 90 non-traditional programs are now in existence. The Alabama preceptorship program appears to be unique, but of all the states which have looked at it, Alabama still is the only state to have adopted the ADHP. Perhaps Kansas should consider establishing a non-traditional program that could be rotated among the state's network of community colleges with the support of the two existing dental hygiene programs through an existing telecommunications network connected to our two existing hygiene education programs.