The County College of Morris (CCM) has been awarded a $100,000 SMILE grant from the Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation, Inc. to support the development and implementation of two new dental programs: Dental Assisting and Dental Hygiene.
Each program will be housed in CCM’s forthcoming Center for Health Professions.
The grant was established in memory of Dr. Gene F. Napoliello, who served as chairperson of the Delta Dental Foundation for decades and was an advocate for increasing access to dental care.
“CCM is thankful to Delta Dental for this funding and is excited to partner with them and area dentists to meet the growing demand for dental services throughout Morris County,” said Dr. Anthony J. Iacono, president of CCM.
“We are incredibly appreciative for the support throughout the State that allows the college to begin implementation of these programs in the near future.”
The Center for Health Professions at CCM is funded through the state of New Jersey with substantial support from Gov. Phil Murphy, Sens. Joseph Pennachio, Paul Sarlo, Anthony Bucco, Nicholas Scutari, and former Sen. Steven Oroho.
When completed, this Center will utilize state-of-the-art technology and equipment throughout its 70,000-square-foot facility, providing optimal learning environments for students enrolled in health professions programs.
“The Delta Dental Foundation’s SMILE Workforce grants are helping to bridge the gap in New Jersey’s dental assistant shortage by empowering a new generation of dental professionals, ensuring healthier smiles and communities,” said Lisa Gallucci, DMD, D.ABDSM, Chair of the Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation.
“We are happy to support CCM’s new dental assisting (and hygiene) programs which will play a pivotal role in addressing the workforce needs facing Morris County dental professionals.”
“We are equally looking forward to being able to significantly impact the local healthcare landscape and address the shortage of trained dental professionals in New Jersey,” said Iacono. “Through the support of organizations like Delta Dental, we fully expect to complete our mission of changing lives and strengthening communities.”
