The mission of the Lake Washington Institute of Technology Dental Hygiene Program is to prepare students to enter the healthcare workforce as entry-level Dental Hygienists who are competent in the provision of safe, ethical and effective dental hygiene care. The program aims to provide students with high quality didactic and clinical education in the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective skills of Dental Hygiene as well as the promotion of life-long learning. Program Philosophy: The Lake Washington Institute of Technology Dental Hygiene Program believes the function of the Dental Hygienist is to provide safe and effective Dental Hygiene care to help people retain and improve their oral health for greater quality of life. It is the philosophy of the Dental Hygiene Program at LWTech to foster the acquisition of Dental Hygiene skills in a safe learning environment that supports communication, collaboration, and critical thinking, and to promote culturally sensitive, ethical, and compassionate care in the dental workplace. This program has received accreditation status from the Commission on Dental Accreditation which allows students, upon graduation, to take the National Board Examination and the clinical licensing examination in the state where she or he plans to practice. Clinical experience is provided at the Lake Washington Institute of Technology dental clinic under the supervision of licensed dentists and licensed dental hygienists. Additional clinical experience occurs in a variety of off-campus settings located in the greater Seattle area.