Northeast Delta Dental Gift Supports College's
Oral Hygiene Program

Concord – With a recent gift of $60,000, Northeast Delta Dental's commitment to a faculty position in the Dental Assisting and Dental Health programs at NHTI, Concord's Community College totals $360,000 over the past five years.

"The Northeast Delta Dental Faculty Chair in Oral Hygiene has been critical to the College expanding enrollment in the dental hygiene program by 60% and the dental assisting program by 25%," says Lynn Kilchenstein, President of NHTI. "Its partnership with NHTI was also a key factor in the College obtaining the support we needed to expand academic space for the dental programs."

The 10,000-square-foot Dental Auxiliaries Education Center expansion was funded collaboratively by the State and private funds. Opened in 2004, the building allowed the College to increase enrollment in response to the State's shortage of dental assistants and hygienists. The space also allows the College to provide about 2,500 patients annually with preventative oral health care administered by senior students, under the supervision of a faculty dentist.

"Our partnership with Northeast Delta Dental has allowed us to provide preventive care to many patients who otherwise would not have been able to receive it given the shortage of dental services across the State," says Donna Clougherty, Chair of the NHTI Dental Education Programs.

Northeast Delta Dental also supports NHTI's mission by funding scholarships for dental hygiene and dental assisting students. Tom Raffio, president & CEO of Northeast Delta Dental, says of his company's giving to NHTI, "Our financial support for the dental auxiliary program enables us to expand our own mission of increasing the availability of oral health care."

NHTI, Concord's Community College, is a fully accredited, public community college serving students, businesses and the community by providing excellent academic, technical and professional education. NHTI offers 63 academic programs to more than 4,000 students. NHTI is a member of the Community College System of New Hampshire.