With more than 40 years of experience in the dental profession, Gail Vasilenko has seen it all. Her passion, insight and broad fund of knowledge have prepared her well for her latest venture: director of Rowan College at Burlington County’s dental hygiene program.
Vasilenko graduated from the world’s first dental hygiene school, the University of Bridgeport, Fones School of Dental Hygiene. She later earned a master’s degree in education from Seton Hall University and has since worked as a clinical supervisor and outcomes assessment coordinator at Rutgers University. Her experience in higher education coupled with her subject matter expertise make her the perfect candidate for her new role at RCBC. She looks forward to spending time in RCBC’s clinic, which provides cleanings, assessments and treatments for a nominal fee.
“I am fortunate to work in a state-of-the-art facility, alongside outstanding faculty and students who are eager to learn. I look forward to sharing my passion with them as the school year progresses,” Vasilenko said, referring to the college’s new Health Sciences Center that opened in 2017.
Gail’s enthusiasm for dental hygiene extends beyond her working life, as she serves on multiple committees of the American Dental Hygienists’ Association. She also earned the Mary Dutton Faculty Mentor Award and, coming full circle to Rowan College at Burlington County, she was a member of the original steering committee for the college’s dental hygiene program.
RCBC’s accredited dental hygiene program prepares students for a career as a registered dental hygienist by combining classroom instruction with laboratory and clinical experience. It houses a dental hygiene clinic, where students deliver various services, including dental hygiene assessment, cleanings, flouride treatments, x-rays and sealants. For more information about scheduling an appointment at RCBC’s Dental Hygiene Clinic, visit rcbc.edu/dental, or call (856) 291-4215.
