The Dental Hygiene Advisory Committee

The Dental Hygiene Advisory Committee was established in 1973 and is comprised of dental hygiene professionals who work in the industry and in the communities served by Montgomery County Community College. They provide guidance, recommendations, and support to the Dental Hygiene program at Montco to ensure the next generation of dental professionals receives the innovative training and education necessary to be successful and meet the dental needs of patients in and around our communities. This committee plays a vital role in maintaining the specialty accreditation of the Dental Hygiene Program. However, they often go above and beyond this main call of duty to support the students in Montco’s program. Many students, regardless of their area of study, face financial barriers in pursuing higher education and career training. For students who dream of helping others through dental hygiene and oral health, that burden can be even greater due to the equipment costs each student faces when they begin in their program. The Dental Hygiene Advisory Committee has always been passionate about helping students with these barriers. However, in 2019, when the COVID-19 pandemic began, they saw an even greater need for student scholarship support. It seemed serendipitous when, after Dr. Victoria Bastecki-Perez became the College’s sixth President in 2020, the Committee had the opportunity to establish a Presidential scholarship that would support dental hygiene students while honoring a person who represents their field so well. Dr. Bastecki-Perez began her own career as a dental hygienist after finishing College as a first-generation student. In her career journey, she transitioned into higher education and spent time as a professor as well as the Director of Montco’s Dental Hygiene Program. While she leads the entire College today, her roots in the dental field and her success are an inspiration to the dedicated students currently in the Dental Hygiene program at Montco. That’s why the Dental Hygiene Advisory Committee came together, making personal contributions and fundraising from their own networks, to establish the Dr. Bastecki-Perez Presidential Scholarship Sponsored by the Dental Hygiene Advisory Committee in July of 2021. This scholarship will benefit one student each year with significant tuition support. As an endowed scholarship, the investment made by the committee will continue to support students in perpetuity.