Carrington College is a private for-profit college serving over 6,000 students across seven states. Headquartered in Sacramento, California, it has provided career-focused education for over 50 years. Carrington College students can work towards baccalaureate degrees, associate degrees, and certificates in healthcare, trades, and industrial majors. The college proudly offers a “small-college experience,” hands-on training, and dynamic and accessible instruction.
One of Carrington’s most well-known programs is the Dental Hygiene program, which is offered at four locations: Sacramento, CA; San Jose, CA; Boise, ID; and Mesa, AZ. For more than 22 years, Carrington College’s Dental Hygiene programs have provided complimentary dental services to the communities they serve, offering a unique blend of academic rigor and hands-on experience with members of the public. The four dental clinics at Carrington College have served an estimated 87,000 patients, averaging more than $31,000,000 in complimentary dental services. In 2022 alone, the Sacramento campus provided 1,500 complimentary services.
At the heart of Carrington’s Dental Hygiene program lies a curriculum crafted to furnish students with a profound understanding of human and dental sciences, encompassing disciplines such as head and neck anatomy, periodontology, oral pathology, and pharmacology. The program prioritizes experiential learning, immersing students in the intricacies of dental hygiene care. Students refine their theoretical knowledge throughout their coursework while simultaneously mastering essential practical skills. Furthermore, the Dental Hygiene program prides itself on its community engagement, woven throughout the program. During the community health courses, students venture beyond the campus to various local facilities such as preschools, homeless shelters, senior living facilities, and a facility for adults with developmental disabilities. They offer oral hygiene instruction and demonstrations to promote dental health awareness. This hands-on experience enriches the students’ learning and resonates deeply with Carrington’s mission of community service and engagement.
“I love working at Carrington College as a dental hygiene educator, where I get to share my passion with our students in shaping the future of oral healthcare. Knowing that I am making a positive difference in the lives of students and the patients they will service is incredibly fulfilling.”
– Missi Hitchcock, Dental Hygiene Instructor, Carrington College Sacramento
The state-of-the-art Carrington College Dental Hygiene Clinic is central to the program and a hub of innovation and learning. At each campus offering this program, students have access to patient operatories and radiology bays outfitted with cutting-edge digital X-ray units that provide a real-world environment to apply their knowledge in a practical setting. Under the careful guidance of experienced, licensed, registered dental hygienists and supervising dentists, students deliver complimentary preventative care to community members. These services include oral cancer and blood pressure screenings, periodontal assessments, caries prevention, and presurgical periodontal therapies. The practical learning enhances their clinical skills and instills a sense of responsibility and compassion for those they serve.
“My cousin told me about Carrington College, so I started doing research online for their Dental Hygiene program. I went to an information session on campus, and it was super nice to walk in and see classrooms and clinics with students working on actual patients. It was very professional, clean, and comfortable – definitely a place of learning. The teachers have been wonderful! They relate to our struggles and are very approachable. They make me feel like my questions matter, and I never felt dumb for asking one. They take the time to answer it fully. It makes me feel supported.”
– Kaycee Murphy, Dental Hygiene Student, Carrington College Mesa
The outcomes of Dental Hygiene graduates speak to the program’s effectiveness. With over 650 hours of hands-on patient experience and one-on-one faculty support opportunities, students achieved an ultimate pass rate of 100% on their clinical skills assessment examination at all four campuses in 2023. Additionally, with an overall 93% completion rate, the Dental Hygiene programs at Carrington College continue to focus on student success and dedication to the mission of Carrington College. In Idaho, Carrington College students accounted for 81% of all the Dental Hygiene Associate Degree graduates. In California, 1 in 3 Dental Hygiene Associate Degree graduates are from Carrington College.
“Their program is structured to make sure you’re successful and that you are well prepared to take your written and clinical board exams.”
– Lynn Hart, Dental Hygiene Graduate/Instructor, Carrington College Mesa
The Dental Hygiene programs at Carrington College are a testament to excellence in dental hygiene education. Through its blend of academic rigor, hands-on experience, and community engagement, Carrington College prepares its students not just to enter the workforce but to make a meaningful impact in the lives of those they serve. Aspiring dental hygienists who walk through the doors of Carrington College embark on a transformative journey—one that not only shapes their careers but also nurtures their passion for oral health and community service. These graduates serve in the community, working in clinics, correctional facilities, and private practice. This program has shaped aspiring dental hygienists into competent professionals ready to tackle the challenges of the modern dental landscape.
“I appreciate all of my instructors and know they do a lot of preparation behind the scenes to help us succeed. In the clinic, our instructors go around and ask us individually if we have what we need. I didn’t feel like I needed one-on-one help in the classroom setting that first semester, but I did in the clinic. Instructors were knowledgeable and very prepared. They had been out in the field so had real world experience as well as what was in the books. It was nice to get insight into their actual experiences.”
– McCall Smith, Dental Hygiene Student, Carrington College Mesa
“My experience here at Carrington College has been wonderful because of the knowledge and skills I have gained through my incredible professors. I can’t wait to put everything I’ve learned into my dental hygiene career.”
– Elizabeth Rice, Dental Hygiene Student, Carrington College Sacramento
To learn more about Carrington College, visit their website at https://carrington.edu/.
