Northeast Iowa Community College Dental Assisting program receives Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation grant

The Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Dental Assisting program has been awarded a $50,000 Community of Health grant from the Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation.

The award will support critical equipment upgrades in the Dental Assisting lab and on-campus clinic, including a new digital panoramic x-ray machine, simulation manikins, sterilization equipment and handpieces.

The upgrades and equipment purchases will enhance student learning, providing opportunities for NICC students to train on the same tools and technologies used in today's dental offices, according to Dawn Klostermann, NICC Dental Assisting program director and instructor.

"We are extremely grateful for the opportunity this grant affords the Dental Assisting program. These equipment upgrades will greatly enhance our students' learning experience, better preparing our graduates for their careers while reducing the need for additional on-the-job training. Aging equipment and outdated technology have posed challenges for students as well as the volunteer dentists serving in our on-campus clinic," Klostermann said.

"While our program has strong job placement rates and valuable industry collaboration, these improvements are essential to align our program with local dental office standards. Equipping this program with these upgrades provides a necessary consistency between what is used in the student's training and what graduates will utilize 'out in the real world' by local dentists. The grant will benefit the quality of oral care offered by our community partners and stakeholders once our graduates are employed," she said.

The accredited Dental Assisting program at NICC trains top-tier graduates and boasts a 100% job placement rate over the past five years. The grant-funded upgrades continue that impressive track record, and improvements to the on-campus clinic will also expand access to quality oral health care for community members.

Dental assistants assist healthcare providers with sterilization of instruments, preparing materials, office administration and assisting with dental procedures including fillings, crowns and extractions. Upon successful completion of the program, students are eligible to take the Iowa Dental Board state registration exams to become a Registered Dental Assistant (RDA). Graduates are also eligible to take examinations prepared by the Dental Assisting National Board to become a Certified Dental Assistant (CDA).

Classroom and lab work teach proper general chairside skills, radiographic and laboratory techniques and effective oral/written communication skills. The program also includes clinical rotations in local dental offices and experiential learning in an on-campus dental clinic with patients and volunteer dentists. For more information, visit nicc.edu/dentalassisting.