[Students in the Community College of Baltimore County’s dental hygiene program are getting “hands-on” learning experiences in a new, first-of-its-kind in the US virtual reality lab. The story below is from WBAL-TV in Baltimore, Maryland; see the original version for a 3:03 minute video report (also available on YouTube). For more information, see an earlier CCBC press release and a 2:00 minute video on Vimeo. –Matthew]

[Image: Source: CCBC]

CCBC’s dental hygiene virtual reality lab makes history, revolutionizes training

By Breana Ross
March 6, 2026

DUNDALK, Md. — Dental students are getting real experience in a new virtual reality lab in preparation to treat patients.

For first-year dental hygiene student Malique May-Holzman and her classmates, learning is hands on at the Community College of Baltimore County’s Dental Hygiene Program.

“I like helping people, and I feel like a lot of people are apprehensive about coming to the dentist, and I want to be that person where I can encourage them to come,” May-Holzman told WBAL-TV 11 News.

Before students work on actual patients, they train at CCBC’s new virtual reality lab.

“I noticed that there was a gap in the utilization of technology for dental hygiene education training,” said Brionna Watson, the director of CCBC’s Dental Hygiene Program.

Watson is the mastermind behind the VR lab who worked to turn her vision into a reality.

“In this headset, they get to immerse themselves in a virtual dental environment, where they are actually able to get as much repetition as they would like with different clinical skillsets,” Watson told WBAL-TV 11 News. “That sequence that they get to practice really allows them to have more confidence, reduce their anxiety, and just allow them to have a risk-free environment with practicing before actually entering a patient’s mouth.”

While attending the 2024 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Tech Summit, Watson met Howard R. Jean, the founder and CEO of Black Meta Agency. From there, many collaborated to open the VR dental hygiene lab in December, making history.

“This is the first virtual reality software and lab in the U.S. for dental hygiene education,” Watson told WBAL-TV 11 News.

Jean helped Watson find a team to develop the technology, and the Delta Dental Community Care Foundation funded the lab. Gleechi, a company based in Sweden, developed the VR technology software. The New York University College of Dentistry helped with the learning module for local anesthesia simulation.

Students have found the innovative technology beneficial.

“I feel like it being interactive is a lot more fun than just reading the textbook, in my opinion,” May-Holzman told WBAL-TV 11 News.

“It helps build confidence because you are actually doing the manual motions of it rather than just reading it in a textbook,” said Malik Benu, a first-year dental hygiene student.

While CCBC’s VR lab is the first in the country for dental hygienists, Watson hopes it isn’t the last.

“The goal is to expand to other dental hygiene students nationally so that they can get the proper training that enhances their performance,” Watson told WBAL-TV 11 News. “It ultimately helps them with student engagement, builds their confidence, also the long-term goal of student retention, getting more students to graduate and supplying the workforce demand because there’s a shortage right now of dental hygienists.”

The Dental Hygiene Clinic at CCBC-Dundalk is not just for training students. It’s also a clinic that’s open to the public, offering a basic cleaning for $20. For more information, tap here to make an appointment.

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