Dental leaders are considering alternative ways to bring more dental assistants into the state after one of only two dental assistant programs in the state paused its enrollment, NBC affiliate WCYB reported March 11.
Mountain Empire Community College said earlier this week that it was pausing enrollment for its dental assisting program to evaluate the program’s costs with available resources and revenue. MECC is one of only two programs in the state to offer dental assistant I and II pathways.
Paul Logan, director of strategic initiatives for the Virginia Dental Association, told WCYB the program has graduated 60 students over the last five years, with every dentist in the region hiring a graduate.
Polly Raible, executive director of the Delta Dental of Virginia Foundation, told WCYB that her organization is seeking out opportunities to allocate sufficient state funding for these training programs.
A budget amendment is currently being considered to boost funding for the programs with matching contributions from the Delta Dental of Virginia Foundation.
