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Board provisionally approves California Baptist University bachelor'of'science dental hygiene program
Summary
The Dental Hygiene Board of California provisionally approved a new bachelor of science dental hygiene program at California Baptist University in Riverside on March 21, 2025, adding a two'year probation to be applied once instruction begins.
The Dental Hygiene Board of California provisionally approved a new bachelor'level dental hygiene program proposed by California Baptist University in Riverside on March 21, 2025, voting to recommend provisional approval with an extendable two'year probationary period once the program begins operation.
Board members on the Education Committee moved and seconded the recommendation during the committee meeting; the roll call vote recorded unanimous approval and the motion was forwarded to the full board. Doctor Adena Petty, board staff, presented the submission and timeline materials the university provided to the board, saying the board would monitor progress at defined stages before students are admitted.
California Baptist University representatives told the committee the university submitted a letter of intent on Dec. 5, 2024 and a feasibility study on Jan. 9, 2025. Dave Pierce, dean of the College of Health Sciences, described the Inland Empire as an underserved region and said the program aims to increase preventive services and access in Riverside, Ontario and San Bernardino. Kelly Donovan, founding program director, described program planning and facilities that will include a campus clinic to provide community care.
During public comment, Susan McLaren of the California Dental Hygienists Association and Touka Zokai of the California Dental Association said they support adding a program in a region that currently lacks a nearby dental hygiene program. Several callers, including Elena Francisco and Ryan Weller, asked whether there are enough qualified faculty to staff a new program and whether nearby dental resources will permit graduates to find supervised practice placements; the university said it plans outreach and partnerships and described longer-term plans for advanced degrees to train educators.
Board staff said the program will consult with staff at each milestone and must satisfy the board'specified timeline and conditions before enrolling students. The Education Committee recorded the motion to recommend provisional approval and the full board took the action as part of the meeting record.
The approval is provisional; board staff will track the program during its probationary period and require documentation the board deems necessary to confirm compliance with regulatory and accreditation standards before removing conditions.
What happened next: The board asked staff and the program to provide progress reports at key points in development and cautioned that faculty availability and access to clinical supervising dentists remain issues the university must address before the program admits students.
