North Central Michigan College in Petoskey created a nine-week accelerated dental assistant program to address labor shortages.
In addition to the dental assistant program, the school offers a variety of fast track courses that allow students to enter the workforce more quickly.
"There is clearly a demand for dental assistants in the area," Christy Lyons, North Central's dean of corporate and community education said in a Feb. 20 news release from the college. "Many dental clinics are unable to take on new clients because they don't have enough assistants and hygienists."
Classes for the new program will be held at the Dental Clinics North, Gaylord (Mich.) location.