UPSCALE BLOG

We are thrilled to announce that our 2026 fall scholarship has been awarded to a dental hygiene student from Central Lakes College! This inspiring recipient truly demonstrated that when things get tough, perseverance and the drive to push forward make all the difference. Thank you to everyone who applied and shared your stories with us; while we could not award a scholarship to every applicant, we want to wish each of you the very best in your journeys ahead!

Japanese researchers led by Dr. Katsu Takahashi have developed an experimental drug, TRG035, that may let people grow a third set of teeth by blocking USAG-1, a protein that normally halts tooth development. In animal studies, the antibody woke dormant tooth buds and produced new teeth in mice and ferrets. The drug has completed a Phase I safety trial at Kyoto University Hospital, and in August 2026 Japan's regulator cleared a Phase IIa study in 24 children with congenital tooth agenesis, with a goal of general use around 2030. Its first patients would be children born without some or all of their teeth, not adults who lost teeth to decay or periodontal disease. For dental hygiene educators, that means prevention, periodontal care and patient education remain as central as ever, and graduates should be ready to explain what is proven and what is still experimental when patients ask. Source: Dentistry Today & Global Happenings

Happy National Dental Hygiene Month

CODA's 2026 Summer report on Dental Hygiene site visits found 509 citations of non-compliance across 176 visits. The single most-cited requirement was Standard 2-12, Patient Care Competencies (69 citations), for gaps in documenting student competence across patient populations. Faculty calibration for clinical evaluation (Standard 3-6d) and patient care quality assurance (Standard 6-2) were also frequently cited.

The fall 2026 scholarship is now open for applications until October 15, 2026.

Upscale Assessment is integrated into D2L Brightspace

Accreditation tracking can be overwhelming, but Upscale Assessment is here to make it simple. Our software is specifically designed to help dental programs meet CODA standards and avoid compliance issues. With 35 citings issued by CODA in 2023 alone, staying on top of accreditation requirements is critical. Upscale Assessment ensures your program meets the standards with ease, from graduate competencies in patient care to faculty calibration for clinical evaluations. What We Track: The program must have a stated commitment to a humanistic culture and learning environment that is regularly evaluated. (CODA 1-2; 1 citing) Tracking the number of hours of preclinical practice and direct patient care must ensure that students attain clinical competence and develop appropriate judgment. (CODA 2-10; 2 citations) Competency in providing dental hygiene care for all patient populations: children, adolescents, adults, geriatric, and special needs (CODA 2-12; 7 citations) Collection of patient data identifying physical and oral health status, analysis of assessment findings, establishing care plans, comprehensive patient-centered treatment, evaluation of care plan (CODA 2-13 a-e;7 citations) Care for patients with moderate to severe periodontal disease (CODA 2-14; 6 citations) Show competence in life support for medical emergencies (CODA 2-17; 1 citation) Additional functions defined by the state-specific dental board (CODA 2-18; 1 citation) Self-assessment to prepare for life-long learning (CODA 2-21; 1 citation) Faculty evaluations (CODA 3-4c; 2 citations) Faculty calibration for consistent clinical evaluations (CODA 4-4; 2 citations) Don’t let your program fall behind. Upscale Assessment keeps track of all key data, helping you avoid any of the common pitfalls identified in CODA’s findings. Learn more about how we can help you stay compliant: Upscale Assessment Upscale your accreditation process with us—stay compliant, stay confident!

Ever wish you had one magical tool to track downtime, makeup hours, attendance, clinical rotations, shadowing, and professional development… without needing 5 spreadsheets, 3 whiteboards, and a prayer? 🙏 Our Time Tracker isn’t just a feature—it’s a full-blown compliance superhero with a clipboard and a stopwatch. Whether you’re logging time lost (no-shows, clinic cancellations) or time earned (service learning, makeup work, PD hours), the Time Tracker has your back. 🎯 Here’s what it can do: ✅ Track Downtime and Makeup Time ✅ Record Clinical Assistant Rotations ✅ Log Attendance & Shadowing Hours ✅ Manage Professional Development Activities ✅ Collect Notes, Upload Documents, and Route for Approval ✅ Lock entries for compliance (so no “oops I changed it” later) ✅ Alert teachers in real-time (because chasing approvals is soooo last semester) ✅ Plus much more! You can even relate lost time to earned time—because fairness matters, and so does CODA compliance. 💪 🙋‍♀️ Students log the hours, submit them for approval, and boom 💥—instructors get notified instantly. Admins get full visibility. Faculty get peace of mind. And your program gets cleaner audits and fewer headaches. 🔄 This module has helped schools replace multiple systems using Upscale’s all-in-one assessment platform. Our Time Tracker isn’t just tracking time—it’s saving it. #UpscaleAssessment #TimeTracker #EdTechTools #CODACompliance #DentalHygieneEducation #NoMoreStickyNotes #FeatureRichAndProud

With our new automated grade sync , grades are pushed to Canvas daily —helping instructors streamline their workflow, save valuable time, and keep students up to date with real-time grade visibility. This seamless integration takes the hassle out of manual entry and ensures a smoother experience for both faculty and students. 📣 And we’re just getting started— integrations with Blackboard and D2L Brightspace are coming later this year! 💡 Ready to simplify grading and empower your program with real-time insights? #UpscaleAssessment #CanvasLMS #Blackboard #D2LBrightspace #EdTech #HigherEd #DentalHygieneEducation #RealTimeGrades #InstructorTools #StudentSuccess