Jong

For Jong, the first step towards becoming a dental hygienist was to complete a radiology certification course that offered him real-world professional experience. He found what he was looking for in the Dental Assisting & Radiology certification course offered through HCC’s division of continuing education and workforce development.

He says, "I was able to learn the basics of infection control, taking radiographs, x-ray fills, and making impressions -- all things you would do every day on the job as a dental assistant.”

The Dental Assisting & Radiology course is designed to help students begin successful careers as dental assistants while they simultaneously complete the training they need to become hygienists. Saturday class times, and a hybrid option, which combines online learning and face-to-face lab practice, allows students like Jong to complete the course with some flexibility. 

“HCC gives a fair chance to anybody who wants to succeed," he noted.

Now in the dental hygiene associate degree program at HCC, Jong feels right at home with his classmates. 

He notes, "Many of them have been dental assistants for years and seem to enjoy it.”