Cerritos College Dental Hygiene Students Earn High Marks at National Competition

Cerritos College's dental hygiene students are holding their heads high these days after taking home top prizes at the American Dental Hygienists' Association national competition in Nashville, Tennessee, on June 16.

This year, students Jackie Counterman and Joni Fisher won first place in the Original Research Category with their presentation entitled "The Big Cover Up" -- a project that had the team utilizing the expertise of the college's Biology Department to conduct a portion of their research.

Every year, students in the Cerritos College Dental Hygiene Program compete in a national table clinic competition that entails a table top presentation addressing a topic in dental hygiene. A total of 64 table clinics from across the nation participated in this year’s competition.

Students are judged on the quality of the board, the quality of the presentation and the timeliness of the topic.

"We are particularly proud, as our students competed against students from four-year universities," said Adelle Krayer, director of the dental hygiene program.

Following the competition, representatives from dental hygiene journals approached and encouraged Counterman and Fisher to publish their informative and timely research, according to a Cerritos College statement.

Students Jenn Edington and Katie Carter also did well in the competition, taking home fourth place  in the Information Category with their table clinic entitled "Connecting the Dots: TMD & Body Posture."

"It was an honor to be in Nashville with our students, watching their presentations and interactions with fellow colleagues, and to see all of their hard work pay off,” said Dani Carroll, senior clinic director and student advisor. “I am very proud of our students and eagerly welcome them to their chosen profession of dental hygiene."

The Cerritos College Dental Hygiene program is accredited by the American Association, Commission on Dental Accreditation. The two-year program has received accreditation status each seven year accreditation cycle.