The Program of Dental Hygiene wants to assure you that the safety of our students and patients are a priority in this rapidly changing situation. Clinical and laboratory sessions associated with the WKU Program of Dental Hygiene will be interrupted due to the unforeseen circumstances associated with COVID-19. In regards to the University not meeting in a face-to-face format and the current American Dental Association recommendations of not providing elective dental treatment (exams, radiographs, cleanings) to patients within the immediate future, clinical and laboratory treatment will be temporarily suspended until further notice. The Program will continue to cover didactic information for students in a distance learning format to remain on schedule for the current Spring 2020 semester. Updates and recommendations from the American Dental Association, Commission on Dental Accreditation, and Western Kentucky University over the next few weeks will help determine a more finalized approach to the completion of both clinical and laboratory requirements as COVID-19 is continuously monitored. When the opportunity arises and approval is provided to return to the clinical and laboratory settings based on these recommendations, faculty will work with all students providing clinical and laboratory opportunities outside of normal scheduled clinical times to be determined at a later date