CCBC Celebrates Delta Dental Community Cares Foundation for Pioneering Support of Nation’s First VR Dental Hygiene Training Lab.
The Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) recognizes the Delta Dental Community Cares Foundation for its leadership in advancing dental hygiene education through innovative technology. With the Foundation’s generous support, CCBC has launched the nation’s first dental hygiene program to integrate immersive virtual reality (VR) simulation into its curriculum, enhancing both student training and community health outcomes.
The new Virtual Reality Dental Hygiene Lab expands access to high-quality, hands-on education. Students can now train using advanced tools typically found only at major research institutions, ensuring a more equitable and modern learning experience.
Developed in partnership with Black Meta Agency, Swedish technology company Gleechi, and the NYC School of Dentistry, the lab brings cutting-edge simulation into a community college setting. These collaborations highlight how strategic investment can accelerate innovation in workforce training.
The VR platform allows students to practice complex procedures in a safe, controlled environment, improving both confidence and clinical readiness. By enabling repeated, self-paced learning, the technology supports skill mastery before students treat live patients. It also helps attract prospective students, strengthening the pipeline of future dental professionals.
CCBC leaders emphasize that this investment aligns with the evolving demands of healthcare employers, who increasingly value experience with emerging technologies.
Through this support, the Delta Dental Community Cares Foundation is not only enhancing education at CCBC but also helping build a stronger, better-prepared oral healthcare workforce to serve Maryland communities.
See it in action! Watch this video to experience the technology from a student's perspective.