(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Texas State Technical College’s Accelerated Training Solutions department will introduce a new 10-week, 80-hour Registered Dental Assistant program in January to help address the growing need for skilled dental professionals in the Rio Grande Valley.
“Our department collaborates with employers throughout the state to stay up to date about opportunities in dental careers,” said Myra De Leon, TSTC’s executive director for Accelerated Training Solutions.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of dental assistants is projected to grow 6% up to 2034. About 52,900 openings for dental assistants are projected each year.
Kristen DeLeon, an instructor in TSTC’s Dental Hygiene program, will teach the Registered Dental Assistant program and said students will develop professional skills that will prepare them for jobs in dental offices and clinics.
“Students will gain a strong foundation in dentistry, including chairside assisting techniques, safety practices, radiology, imaging and clinical and laboratory experience,” she said. “The program will also incorporate the latest industry standards through training in digital dentistry such as digital X-rays and updated infection control and safety protocols.”
Raquel Rico, TSTC’s Dental Hygiene lead instructor, said the program will be key in helping address the state’s shortage of health care professionals.
“The Texas State Board of Examiners requires that registered dental assistant courses include three core areas: infection control, radiology and jurisprudence,” she said. “We also believe that a well-trained dental assistant should develop a strong foundation in preventative care, oral and dental anatomy”
Rico added that the short-term course will complement TSTC’s Dental Hygiene program.
“It will give us the opportunity to recruit motivated graduates from the RDA program who want to further their education after completing the Registered Dental Assistant program,” she said. “This pathway is valuable because the students will already understand the rigor and expectations of dental education at TSTC.”
For more information about the Registered Dental Assistant program, contact Areana Alferez at 956-364-4148 or areana.alferez@tstc.edu.
For more information about TSTC, go to tstc.edu.