Darlene Swigart

Darlene Swigart is an Associate Professor in the Dental Hygiene department at Oregon Institute of Technology. She serves as the Sophomore Clinic Lead Instructor and teaches courses such as Prevention, Community Health, and Introduction to Dental Hygiene.

• Education: Master of Science in Dental Hygiene (Idaho State University, 2018), Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene (Idaho State University, 1998)

Her research focuses on dental hygiene diagnosis and treatment planning, head and neck cancer prevention, and social determinants of health in dentistry. She also emphasizes clinical dental hygiene, infection control, and motivational interviewing in patient communication.

Darlene co-chairs the Klamath Basin Oral Health Coalition and has prior teaching experience at West Coast University. She combines 17 years of clinical practice in general and periodontal dentistry with a passion for dental education.