Dental hygiene program coming to EHOVE

MILAN TWP. — An EHOVE and Lorain County Community College partnership grows and plans to explore dental hygiene. Training for rewarding careers in high-demand health care fields is closer to home than ever for residents of Erie, Huron and Ottawa counties. The strong partnership between EHOVE Career Center and Lorain County Community College continues to grow with the exploration of adding the college's dental hygiene program to the EHOVE's campus in Milan. This new offering would build upon the success of the occupational therapy assistant program that has been hosted at EHOVE for several years. "We are excited to deepen the partnership between (the college) and EHOVE," said Marcia Ballinger, the college's president. "Expanding access to higher education in in-demand fields is a win for the entire region. We are thrilled to bring these opportunities to Erie, Huron and Ottawa counties." The exploration of the college's dental hygiene program at EHOVE is the result of employer need in the region, according to EHOVE superintendent Chris McCully. "We are pleased to be able to expand our partnership with (the college) to this second program together that will be offered through EHOVE's adult education," McCully said. "Demand for dental hygienists in our area is high, but there are not training options nearby," McCully said. "Providing this new program at EHOVE will quickly make a positive impact on our community by adding more skilled workers into our local workforce via this training option that's close to home." Local dentists are already looking forward to the influx of trained dental hygienists the new program could provide. "Due to the extreme shortage of qualified hygienists, this area of Ohio has been known as a 'dental desert' for some time," said Dr. Roger Stine, a dentist in the Norwalk area who is part of an EHOVE business advisory committee. "The population has grown, while the number of hygienists has decreased," Stine said. "We don't have enough providers to address the hygiene needs of the patients in our area, and this program is going to help with that issue." EHOVE is launching a major renovation and expansion project to enhance educational access in the region. This effort aligns with the college's broader mission to deliver high-quality, hands-on training opportunities that support workforce needs. In fact, the college and EHOVE recently received a, Regionally Aligned Priorities in Delivering Skills grant from the Ohio Department of Higher Education to invest in state-of-the-art dental hygiene equipment and technology. These upgrades are designed to enhance training and ensure that students are prepared for real-world clinical experiences. By offering degree programs on-site at EHOVE, the college brings higher education close to home for many residents who may not have otherwise been able to attend college. The additional program location will pursue receiving the necessary accreditation and state approvals prior to admitting students. Dr. Andrew Zucker, a dentist in the Sandusky area, said the new program will fill workforce needs while benefiting the health of the community. "Having a local hygiene program will be an amazing opportunity for the patients of Erie County and surrounding areas," Zucker said. "The addition of these graduates will help increase the capacity of our local dental team to provide timely preventive care to our community."