Winter 2025 SDM Partner Spotlight

Yakima Valley College has prepared dental hygienists since 1968 and in 2016 transitioned to a Bachelor of Applied Science in Dental Hygiene (BASDH) program that is accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation. The mission of YVC’s program is to educate a group of diverse dental hygiene students by providing a curriculum which reflects the core values of the profession, instills life-long learning appreciation, and educates the students as caring, clinically proficient and ethical entry-level dental hygienists prepared to serve the community in both private and public settings.

The BASDH curriculum consists of six quarters of professional education and clinical experience preceded by a demanding program of prerequisite courses. Dental hygiene students receive hands-on preparation for the demands of their profession at YVC’s Weston D. Brown Dental Hygiene Clinic, which provides dental exams, teeth cleaning, x-rays, and fillings to adult and youth community members at a nominal cost.

Graduates of YVC’s program work in dental offices, dental education, boards of health, hospitals, and research settings. Those interested in further education are well positioned to pursue master’s degrees in dental hygiene or dental therapy or apply to the PNWU School of Dental Medicine. YVC’s program has been successful in educating a diverse dental hygienist workforce that mirrors its community, with students of color representing 54% of its five most recent graduating cohorts compared to a national average of 35.5% for dental hygiene programs.

YVC and PNWU recently signed articulation agreements that enhance opportunities for YVC graduates to enter all five of PNWU’s health sciences programs, including the School of Dental Medicine. In addition, YVC and PNWU are actively exploring opportunities for collaboration that will enhance the educational experience of both DH and SDM students by sharing facilities, equipment, and knowledge. YVC Director of Dental Hygiene Cheri Podruzny also serves on the SDM Leadership Council.

Cheri Podruzny has served as director of dental hygiene at YVC for 16 years and is in her 40th year as a dental hygiene educator. She launched her dental hygiene career in 1981, spanning work in private clinic practice, community health settings including the Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic and Union Gospel Mission, and faculty practice. Podruzny earned her AAS in Dental Hygiene at YVC, her bachelor’s degree in allied health at Central Washington University, and her Master of Science in Dental Hygiene from Eastern Washington University. She has presented research on program admissions process and student success at the ADHA/ADA national conventions and is a licensing examiner and consultant for the Central Regional Dental Testing Service.

“I am thrilled that PNWU School of Dental Medicine has implemented ground-breaking pathways for admission of licensed dental hygienists and have already written several letters of recommendation for our Bachelor of Applied Science – Dental Hygiene alumni! Further, it is an honor to serve on the PNWU SDM Leadership Council as well as the workgroup exploring the potential for an innovative and relevant Advanced Standing SDM Program for Dental Hygienists.” — Cheri Podruzny, YVC Director of Dental Hygiene

YVC Voice Magazine Feature Story, “Supporting a healthier Yakima Valley,” Fall 2024