With concrete floors demolished and temporary walls in place, an impressive expansion project of FVTC’s dental learning labs is in full swing.
The 3,400+ square foot remodeling project expands the number of dental treatment workspaces from 12 to 18 chairs, creating a learning space for six additional students. In addition, a classroom will be converted into a simulation lab with 12 dental simulators. Students will use the simulators to practice dental procedures in a simulated environment and provide students the chance to explore a variety of dental conditions while practicing treatments.
A larger sterilization room will reduce congestion and create more space for dental instruments and equipment to be cleaned, sterilized and stored for future use.
“We have expanded our program from 15 students to 24 students in the Dental Hygienist associate degree program,” says Ben McKenzie, dean of Health Science. “Expanding our space improves our ability to accept the additional students, but it also allows us the flexibility to explore how we can expand even further with other program offerings. The additional chairs and simulation lab allow us to expand our program offerings to include Expanded Function Dental Auxiliary (EFDA).”
What is EFDA?
It is an advanced certificate permitting a dental assistant who has additional training to perform more complex procedures such as apply sealants and fluoride, take impressions and develop X-rays, and perform polishing.
The $2.1 million construction project was divided into two phases. The first one started in January and the second phase begins in mid-May. To accommodate the construction timeline, dental-related classes will finish one week earlier than usual to give contractors a bit more flexibility in getting to work on phase two.
All work should be wrapped up by July 1st and ready for students when the fall semester begins in August.
A portion of the dental expansion project is being covered by an almost $170,000 grant from Delta Dental of Wisconsin Foundation.
DDWI donated $2 million for 14 colleges in the Wisconsin Technical College System to make improvements and expand oral health workforce programs around the state.
