POINT OF VIEW: Investing in what our community needs

Published 1:30 am Saturday, July 25, 2026

AT PENINSULA COLLEGE, we often talk about being responsive to the needs of our community. It’s more than a guiding principle, it’s a responsibility. And in times like these, when resources are tight and difficult decisions are being made, that responsibility becomes even more important.

Across Washington, community colleges are navigating financial challenges, including here on the North Olympic Peninsula. We are making thoughtful, sometimes painful adjustments to ensure we remain strong and sustainable for the long term. At the same time, we cannot lose sight of why we are here: to serve our students and our community in meaningful, relevant ways.

Sometimes, that means making strategic investments, even during uncertain times.

One of the clearest examples is the new dental hygiene program and community dental clinic launching this fall at Peninsula College.

This program didn’t begin overnight. It has been years in the making, developed thoughtfully, guided by data, and shaped by conversations with healthcare providers, community leaders and families across Clallam and Jefferson counties.

In March, the program received initial accreditation from the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), marking a major milestone and allowing us to welcome our first cohort of students this fall.

Why dental hygiene? Because the need is real and it’s urgent.

Many communities on the North Olympic Peninsula face significant barriers to accessing dental care. For some, it’s the cost. For others, it’s availability. And for many, it’s both. At the same time, there is a growing demand for skilled dental hygienists, jobs that offer strong, family-supporting wages right here in our region.

This program is designed to meet all these needs.

Students will train in a state-of-the-art, eight-chair dental clinic located right on campus. That clinic will also serve the public, providing low-cost, accessible dental care to our community. It’s a model that strengthens our local workforce while expanding access to essential healthcare services, a true win-win.

Programs like this don’t come easily or inexpensively. It often surprises people to learn that state funding cannot be used to start new college programs. State support begins only after students are enrolled. Everything that comes before, such as curriculum development, accreditation, facility construction, equipment purchases, must be funded through other means.

That’s where the Peninsula College Foundation comes in.

As an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the foundation exists to support Peninsula College students and programs in ways that state funding cannot. We provide scholarships and emergency assistance to students facing unexpected challenges. We invest in innovation, helping bring new programs like dental hygiene to life. And we work alongside our community to ensure the college remains a strong, responsive partner in regional growth and opportunity.

Some programs are relatively affordable to launch. Others, like dental hygiene, require a significant upfront financial investment.

In addition to designing a rigorous, accredited curriculum, we needed to construct specialized learning environments, including the dental clinic and simulation labs, and equip them with industry-standard technology. Although costly, this ensures that our students graduate fully prepared to step into any dental office on the Peninsula, ready to provide high-quality care from day one.

Even after launch, the costs remain high. Dental hygiene programs require low student-to-instructor ratios, intensive clinical supervision and ongoing investment in materials and equipment. Our cohort of just 10 students at a time is intentionally small so we maintain the level of instruction and care required.

At the same time, we are doing everything we can to keep this program accessible. We’ve streamlined prerequisites, embedded coursework where possible and designed a two-year pathway that prepares students to sit for national licensure, helping them enter the workforce more quickly without the added cost of a four-year degree.

This is what it looks like to be both responsive and responsible.

The Peninsula College Foundation is a small but mighty organization, just two full-time staff members supported by a dedicated, all-volunteer board of directors. These board members are your neighbors, colleagues and community leaders. They give their time, expertise and resources to ensure the foundation stays aligned with its mission and remains flexible and forward-looking.

Their leadership allows us to act when opportunities arise and to support the college through shifting economic conditions.

And right now, we have an opportunity to do something truly meaningful.

The dental clinic will not just be a training space, it will be the community’s clinic. A place where individuals and families can access affordable dental care. A place where students gain real-world experience. A place where education and service come together to meet a critical need.

To ensure the long-term success of this program, and to keep costs manageable for students, we are building an endowment dedicated to the dental hygiene program’s operational expenses. This endowment will provide ongoing support for program expenses, helping to stabilize funding and reduce financial barriers for future students.

In moments like this, there can be a natural tension between what we must reduce and where we choose to invest. Between navigating today’s realities and preparing for tomorrow’s needs. At Peninsula College, we believe we must do both.

We must be thoughtful stewards of our resources, making difficult decisions when necessary. We must also continue to invest in the programs and services that matter most to our community, programs that create opportunities, strengthen our workforce and improve quality of life across the North Olympic Peninsula.

The dental hygiene program is one of those investments.

It reflects who we are as a college and as a community: resilient, forward-thinking and deeply committed to one another.

If you believe in that vision, we invite you to be part of it.

Together, we can ensure that this program, and the students and community members it serves, thrives for years to come.

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Cheryl Crane is the executive director of the Peninsula College Foundation.

Kathy Charlton is the president of the Peninsula College Foundation board of directors.