RALEIGH, N.C. (October 22, 2026) – A new investment in Wake Tech's dental programs will expand opportunities for students, enhance hands-on learning experiences and help meet the growing need for dental professionals in the community.

The Delta Dental Foundation of North Carolina announced a $1 million commitment to expand access to oral health care for children and adults and help build the pipeline of dental professionals across the state. The announcement took place at the Alice Aycock Poe Center for Health Education.

As part of that investment, the foundation awarded Wake Tech funding to expand the college's Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting programs. The funding will provide simulation resources and equipment to help prepare students for rewarding careers in dental health care.

The investment comes at an important time as Wake Tech works to increase capacity in its dental programs to meet student and workforce demand. Each year, the college sees strong interest from qualified applicants eager to pursue careers in dental healthcare, yet limited program capacity prevents the college from admitting everyone who is ready to begin that journey. Expanding capacity would create more opportunities for students to pursue their career goals while helping meet the needs of the communities Wake Tech serves.

Wake Tech is also planning evening classes that would give working dental assistants the opportunity to continue their education and become dental hygienists, creating another pathway to career advancement and increased earning potential.

"We are grateful to the Delta Dental Foundation for investing in Wake Tech and our students," said Wake Tech President Dr. Scott Ralls. "This support will help more students prepare for rewarding careers in dental care while expanding the workforce our growing community needs. Together, we can create pathways to economic mobility and help more people get the care they need."

Dental hygiene is among the workforce needs addressed in the proposed Wake Tech Workforce Forward Bond, underscoring the importance of these professionals to the community. The bond includes renovations to space at the Perry Health Sciences Campus, with planned improvements to the dental lecture hall, simulation lab and Dental Hygiene Clinic. The proposed improvements would create opportunities to modernize learning environments, expand training capacity and better prepare students for today's dental workforce.

"At the heart of everything we do are our students, their goals, their potential and the opportunities we have a responsibility to create," said Constance Best, associate dean of Health Sciences at Wake Tech. "We have talented, qualified students who are ready to pursue careers in dental healthcare, and our goal is to ensure that limited capacity does not stand in the way of their success."

Wake Tech is North Carolina's largest community college, serving more than 76,000 adults annually across nine campuses and training sites throughout Wake County, as well as through a comprehensive array of online learning options. The college employs more than 3,100 faculty and staff members dedicated to student success, workforce development and strengthening the talent pipeline for employers across the region. The college offers more than 250 associate degree, diploma and certificate programs of study that prepare students for university transfer or immediate employment, along with short-term workforce training, public safety education and training, customized corporate training, small-business support and adult education programs.