CMC Vail Valley at Edwards graduates first dental hygienists

EDWARDS – A new cohort of locally trained dental hygienists is ready to join the workforce now that they are graduating from Colorado Mountain College.

CMC Vail Valley at Edwards is home to the college’s dental hygiene program and Oral Health Clinic. The 10-chair clinic, which provides free or reduced-cost dental services for patients in the Vail Valley, has also matriculated its first group of graduates in the all-new Associate of Applied Science in dental hygiene degree.

Silvia Vicuña of Breckenridge is one of the nine student hygienists who passed their national clinical board exams in March and is now waiting for results after taking the eight-hour-long written portions of the national board exams on April 17.

Vicuña had worked as a dental assistant and office manager at several Summit County dental clinics for 15 years, including time with Dr. Paul Redpath, one of the staff dentists at the CMC clinic. Now, she has been offered a job as a hygienist with Dillon Family Dental, once she receives her state license.

“I had been considering other programs around the state for several years, but I was excited when I heard that CMC was opening its own program,” she said. “As a student, I was directly involved in something that CMC has never done before. It’s a fabulous program.”

Vicuña said she appreciated the opportunity to receive locally based training in an in-demand career, as well as the chance to help her fellow students succeed.

“My family is very excited for me to be done,” Vicuña said. “I have two kids and they’re used to having me around all the time, but I’m actually thinking of pursuing a bachelor’s degree now, too.”

Laura Jacob, program director for the Edwards-based hygiene program, says she recommended Vicuña as a student speaker for the Vail Valley at Edwards commencement ceremony, held on May 1.

“She exemplifies the very best of a CMC student,” Jacob said. “She began our program at the same time her daughter left for out-of-state college as a first-year student, demonstrating remarkable dedication and resilience.”

Jacob says Vicuña, a Mountain Scholar recipient, also serves on CMC President Matt Gianneschi’s Student Advisory Council.

“Within her cohort, Vicuña is affectionately regarded as the ‘mother hen’ for her compassionate leadership and her unwavering commitment to ensuring that every student, faculty, staff and patient feel included, valued and heard,” Jacob added.

For more information on the dental health program or Oral Health Clinic, contact Laura Jacob at 303-730-8896 or CMC's dental hygiene program.