BridgeYear Adds Dental Hygienist to Career Test Drive® Fair Lineup

new career simulation by bridgeyear: dental hygiene

New hands-on simulation gives Houston high schoolers a firsthand look at a high-growth healthcare career paying approximately $98,479 a year.

HOUSTON, TX, UNITED STATES, August 14, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- BridgeYear, a Houston nonprofit connecting underserved youth to careers and educational pathways that build economic stability, today announced Dental Hygienist as the newest addition to its Career Test Drive^® Fair lineup. The hands-on simulation will give Houston-area students a firsthand look at one of the fastest-growing careers in healthcare, without stepping foot in a college classroom.

BridgeYear’s Career Simulation
The Career Test Drive^® Program places real job tasks directly in front of students on their own school campuses. Instead of reading about a career, students try it: taking blood pressure readings as a phlebotomist simulation, troubleshooting a vehicle as an automotive technician, or, now, examining a model patient's teeth as a dental hygienist. The program is sponsored by employer partners, and is a core part of BridgeYear's mission to show students that a four-year degree is not the only route to a living-wage career.

Dental Hygienist Career Pathway
Dental hygiene was selected for its strong earning potential and long-term demand. Professionals in the field earn an average annual salary of approximately $98,479 in Texas, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics-informed outlook projects 9% employment growth with an average of 257 annual openings statewide through 2031.

“Every Career Test Drive^® simulation we build is chosen deliberately, because it offers students a real pathway to a living wage and greater economic mobility,” said Victoria Chen, Co-Founder and Executive Director of BridgeYear. "Adding dental hygiene lets us open the door to healthcare careers with strong earning potential and long-term opportunity for even more students.”

The addition comes as BridgeYear expands its healthcare career offerings within the Career Test Drive^® Program, building on existing employer partnerships in the medical field. Each simulation is developed in collaboration with subject-matter experts to ensure the tasks students perform mirror the real expectations of the job, not a simplified version of it.

The dental hygienist simulation will roll out to participating Houston-area school campuses as part of upcoming Career Test Drive^® Fair dates. Schools and employer partners interested in bringing Career Test Drive^® Fair to their campus, or sponsoring a future simulation, can learn more at bridgeyear.org/schools/ctd/.

About BridgeYear
BridgeYear is a Houston-based nonprofit founded in 2016, celebrating a decade of connecting underserved youth to careers and educational pathways that provide economic stability and independence. Through programs including Career Test Drive^®, MorePathways^®, and Career Cohorts, BridgeYear partners with schools, employers, and community organizations across Houston to show students that a four-year degree is not the only route to a high-demand, living-wage career. Learn more at bridgeyear.org.

Media Contact
Jocelyne Trevino
Senior Communications Manager, BridgeYear

Victoria Chen
BridgeYear
+1 832-579-0294
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