Joshua Johnson-White / Reporter
In the past two to three years, an interest has risen within the field of dental assisting. Along with Del Mar College, several similar programs in neighboring institutes in the Coastal Bend have opened including Southern Careers Institute, ITT Technical Institute, South Texas Vocational Training Institute and Kaplan College.
Instruction benefits all students who want to make this field a permanent part of their career but also increases in employment for local, group and specializing practices in the area. Another reason students decide to pursue a career in this field is to take advantage of the vast number of benefits available. These benefits include long-term insurance policies, retirement plans and assistant certifications
The dental assisting program will be offering free oral X-rays open to the public until April 11. March 10-15 will be excluded because the campus will be shut down for Spring Break. This is an opportunity for those who are not sure about the condition of their teeth. From there, the examiners can recommend people to a dentist for cleaning and other needed treatments.
Patients must be in good health, be 18 or older and must not have had any previous X-rays within the past three years. The free examinations will be after 1 p.m. Thursdays and at 9 a.m. Fridays at Old Brownsville and Airport roads in the Health Sciences Building at the Del Mar West Campus in Room 125. Appointments require a $5 infection control fee and must be paid at the college’s Business Office in the Coleman Center. To schedule an appointment, call 698-2854 or 698-2607. Stop by for a checkup and don’t forget to bring your teeth.
