Front Range Community College (FRCC) is set to open a new Community Dental Clinic on its Larimer Campus in Fort Collins, giving students hands-on training while providing affordable dental care to the public. The clinic will welcome patients starting Jan. 20 and is located on the ground floor of the Grays Peak Building at 4616 S. Shields St.
The facility features 16 patient-care stations, including 10 for dental hygiene and six for dental assisting. Students will perform procedures under the supervision of faculty and a full-time dentist employed by FRCC. More complex treatments will be handled directly by the dentist.
Because the clinic functions as a teaching environment, appointments may last significantly longer than in a typical dental office, often two hours or more. Patients may also need to return for follow-up visits to complete certain procedures. “The best part about a community clinic like this is that the community supports the students by attending, and the students support the community by providing care at a reduced rate,” said Nancy Sherrill, director of FRCC’s new dental hygiene program.
The clinic is part of FRCC’s broader effort to address Colorado’s shortage of dental hygienists. The school launched its dental hygiene program this fall with 20 students and plans to accept 20 more for the 2026-27 academic year. Graduates of the two-year program earn an Associate of Applied Science degree in dental hygiene from an accredited program, preparing them to pass state and national licensing exams.
FRCC’s dental assisting program, which has offered a one-year certificate since the 1970s, also enrolls 20 students annually.
While the college previously ran a community clinic through this program, it closed during the COVID-19 pandemic and did not reopen. The addition of a full-time dentist and the new dental hygiene program now allows the Community Dental Clinic to operate as a one-stop shop. Hygiene students can perform cleanings and refer patients to dental assisting students or the dentist for restorative care, providing comprehensive treatment in a single location.
Funding from the Colorado Health Foundation and the Delta Dental Colorado Foundation supported the launch of FRCC’s dental hygiene program. Similar programs have also been introduced at Pikes Peak Community College and Colorado Mountain College, while existing programs at the Community College of Denver and Colorado Northwestern Community College have been expanded.
Angie Peach, academic dean for FRCC’s School of Health Sciences & Wellness, emphasized the community benefit. “Patients are helping students learn while receiving affordable care, and students gain real-world experience they can carry into their careers,” she said.
FRCC’s new Community Dental Clinic represents a significant step in training the next generation of dental professionals while meeting the needs of the local community.