Historical Background:
In 1992, members of KCDS pledged $400,000 in private donations to initiate the dental hygiene program operated by Taft College. Drs. Clark and Shively worked with Dr. Cothrun, Taft College's President along with his administrative counsel collaborating to meet the workforce needs for dental hygienists in Kern County. Dr. Richard Parrott was one of the first members placed on the dental hygiene advisory committee. Dr. Ben Dykes was hired to assist in the initial accreditation self-study and became the first director of the program.
Presently:
In 2017, current President Dr. Debra Daniels, along with the support of Taft College's Board of Trustees invested in renovations to meet the requirements of the Dental Hygiene Board of California. As the program continues to move forward, upgrades and replacement of clinic equipment is necessary to meet education needs of students in order to better prepare them for trends in the workplace.
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