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SPOKANE, Wash. - Eastern Washington University's Dental Hygiene Program is all smiles after receiving a rare perfect score in a recent accreditation site checkup.

The Commission on Dental Accreditation visited the dental hygiene clinic at EWU Spokane on the Riverpoint Campus to conduct its in-depth analysis. The commission serves the public by establishing, maintaining and applying standards that ensure the quality and continuous improvement of dental and dental-related education and reflect the evolving practice of dentistry.

Eastern's dental appointment resulted in no recommendations for change, nor any required changes. This perfect score is very seldom achieved by any dental hygiene program in the nation.

"EWU's Dental Hygiene Department has always followed professional standards, taught cutting-edge technology and the faculty are well-known internationally in their fields of expertise," said Rebecca Stolberg, chair of the Dental Hygiene Department. "However, having a set of peers evaluate the department and rank us as exceptional is truly an honor and something for which I'm extremely proud of our team of faculty and staff."

The standards required by the Commission have been developed to protect the public welfare, serve as a guide for dental hygiene program development and to serve as a stimulus for the improvement of established programs.

The process involved submission of a self-study to the commission 90 days prior to the two-day visit by an accreditation site team - considered to be experts in the field, as well as curriculum, of dental hygiene.

The self-study typically is more than 1,500 pages in length and includes a comprehensive analysis of the following components:

• Institutional effectiveness - planning, assessment, financial support and community resources
• Educational program - instruction, admissions, curriculum, patient care competencies
• Administration, faculty and staff - program administrator, faculty and support staff
• Educational support services - facilities, classroom/office space, learning resources and student services
• Health and safety provisions - infectious disease/radiation management, emergency management
• Patient care services

The Commission must still take formal action and approve the site team report.

For additional information, please contact Rebecca Stolberg at 509.828.1298 or rstolberg@ewu.edu.