Issue Date: 10/26/09
Bright future: Dental program struggles to meet high demand
Students can expect to gain hands-on experience from working in a dental office, and by the end of the course they will have earned their X-ray license and be prepared to take the required California and national certification examinations.
There are no resources within the program to help students find jobs after graduation, but according to Burton, students usually have no problem finding jobs.
During the second semester, students spend 16 weeks actually working in a variety of dental offices around the county.
Each student will spend four weeks at four different offices, and often dentists will offer to hire some of the interns Burton said.
"I get a tremendous amount of calls asking if we have anyone that they can hireā¦ because they know our program in excellent," Burton said.
This positive reputation has some students hopeful about their future.
Pralle said she feels teachers go beyond the books, and finding a job will be easier because of the quality education she gained through the dental assisting program.
Palomar's dental assisting program has been around for more than 20 years but Burton credits much of the recent success to program director Denise Rudy.
Seven years ago, Rudy, a registered dental assistant with several other qualifications, restructured the program and changed the curriculum.
Since then Burton said she has seen a marked change.
Another way the program stays abreast of all the changes in the field is through Dental Advisory Committee.
The committee consists of educators and professionals in the dental field and meets twice a year.
The committee provides these professionals with an opportunity to discuss some of the changes being made within their field. The results are then brought back to Palomar and used to reconstruct the curriculum.
There are no resources within the program to help students find jobs after graduation, but according to Burton, students usually have no problem finding jobs.
During the second semester, students spend 16 weeks actually working in a variety of dental offices around the county.
Each student will spend four weeks at four different offices, and often dentists will offer to hire some of the interns Burton said.
"I get a tremendous amount of calls asking if we have anyone that they can hireā¦ because they know our program in excellent," Burton said.
This positive reputation has some students hopeful about their future.
Pralle said she feels teachers go beyond the books, and finding a job will be easier because of the quality education she gained through the dental assisting program.
Palomar's dental assisting program has been around for more than 20 years but Burton credits much of the recent success to program director Denise Rudy.
Seven years ago, Rudy, a registered dental assistant with several other qualifications, restructured the program and changed the curriculum.
Since then Burton said she has seen a marked change.
Another way the program stays abreast of all the changes in the field is through Dental Advisory Committee.
The committee consists of educators and professionals in the dental field and meets twice a year.
The committee provides these professionals with an opportunity to discuss some of the changes being made within their field. The results are then brought back to Palomar and used to reconstruct the curriculum.
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