Over the last year, Blackhawk has been updating and expanding its Dental Clinic on the Beloit-Janesville Campus. Wisconsin’s 2023-2025 state budget included $20 million in funds for technical colleges to train more dental hygienists, dental assistants, and other oral healthcare providers. Of that, Blackhawk received more than $1.5 million as part of a Wisconsin Oral Health Education Grant.
Over the summer, Blackhawk constructed a new parking lot and entrance for its Dental Clinic to facilitate easier access for local patients. The clinic was also renovated and expanded into an adjacent area that had previously been classroom space.
“This very short timeline allowed us to avoid disrupting the studies and clinical patient care requirements of currently enrolled dental hygienist students—particularly those who had completed their first year of the two-year educational program,” Lisa Johnson, Blackhawk’s Dental Hygienist Program Director and Lead Instructor, explained.
The renovation work expanded the clinic from six permanent treatment areas to 11 while two mobile treatment areas, which had significant ergonomic and accessibility limitations, were eliminated. Additionally, sterilization capacity was doubled, intraoral imaging equipment was upgraded, two glycine air polishers and a second dental laser were installed, and a large study and collaboration area was added for students.
The clinic now has more flexible scheduling options with increased hours for patient care. Supervised patient care is an essential part of students’ education, Johnson said, so the goal is to make it more convenient and welcoming for patients from the community.
Growing program
Blackhawk has operated a successful, accredited Dental Assistant program since 1977. The Dental Hygienist program was added in 2022, and the campus clinic opened for patient care in spring 2023. The demand for dental hygiene education is higher than ever, and the clinic’s recent expansion enabled Blackhawk to increase annual enrollment in the Dental Hygienist program by 20%, Johnson shared.
“We currently have 14 Dental Assistant students,” Johnson said. “Up to 18 may enroll each year. We also have 22 Dental Hygienist program students.”
The students are excited about the increased number of clinical treatment areas, she said, and the additional sterilization space helps keep the clinic organized, safe, and clean.
Lab area dedicated
The new lab area was recently dedicated to Ben Dickinson, who died in 2014 at the age of 34. Ben was the son of retired local dentist Dr. Gregg Dickinson, DDS, and his wife, Helen. The Ben Dickinson Honorary Dental Lab was introduced at a special Blackhawk Foundation event on Sept. 16.
Open to the public
The Dental Clinic is open to the public from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays each week and closed for spring, summer, and winter breaks. Dental Hygienist students treat about 36 patients each week in the fall and about 50 per week in the spring.
“We are proud to offer preventive dental services to the public at a very low cost,” Johnson said.
A flat fee for patient care is charged, which includes services that are completed by a second-year student as part of one full-mouth hygiene treatment. Preventive and diagnostic services are planned according to each patient's need.
- Seniors (age 65+): $20
- Adult/Adolescent (age 14+): $30
- Child (age 3-13): $20
- Infant (age 0-2): no charge
To schedule an appointment, call (608) 743-4402 or email dental@blackhawk.edu. Due to the instructional nature of the facility, appointment times are 2-3 hours in length, and multiple appointments may be required to complete treatment.