Photo provided The newest class of dental hygiene students gather on campus at West Liberty University. Front row, from left, are Heather Burd, Kendra Heskett, Marissa Sees, Meida Gillespie, Sara Menefee, Ava Meredith, Riley Harris, Victoria Bryan, Kaytlin Shockey, Alexis Williams, Jilian Reardon, Sarah Fick and Janessa Dennis; second row, from left, Marissa Merrill, Riley Pigott, Jocey West, Nichole Groseclose, Michaela Bias, Avery Bankes, Haley Bach, Jordan Mutschelknaus, Larissa Holloman and Morgan Tomich; and back row, from left, Addison Ackman, Allyson Bevins, Meghan Jefferson, Kinzie Holt, Jaelynn Shamblin, Kayla Scott, Kia Villers, Chloe Fox and Grace Dean.

WEST LIBERTY — October is making the West Liberty University’s Sarah Whitaker Glass School of Dental Hygiene students smile because it’s National Dental Hygiene Month.

“Good oral health is so important, not just to your smile but to your overall health,” said Stephanie Meredith, Dental Hygiene Department chairwoman. “We remind everyone to visit their dentist regularly and stay on top of their oral hygiene.”

The Sarah Whitaker Glass School of Dental Hygiene was established in 1938 and graduated its first class in 1940. Accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation, it offers both the Associate of Science and Bachelor of Science degrees.

Not long ago, it added the online Master of Science in Dental Hygiene. The MSDH 30-credit hour program allows working professionals to advance their career while holding a full-time job due to the convenient structure of the two-year program.

There are 74 undergraduate students and 10 MSDH students currently working toward their degrees.

WLU’s dental hygiene clinic is open to the public and offers dental hygiene appointments. Located in the Campbell Hall of Health Sciences, it includes 24 dental operatories equipped with up-to-date equipment, patient software and x-ray machines.

The Sarah Whitaker Glass School of Dental Hygiene is part of WLU’s College of Sciences, one of four colleges, housed at WLU.

West Liberty University is West Virginia’s first institution of higher education, established in 1837. It offers more than 70 undergraduate majors, plus a growing number of master degree programs.

For more information, please call 1.866.937.8542 (WESTLIB), visit westliberty.edu or follow WLU on social media.