123Dentist is donating $30,000 to Okanagan College (OC) to support its state of the art dental space, located in the school’s new $18.9 million Health Sciences Centre, according to OC.
The new clinic is a major upgrade for certified dental assistant (CDA) students who now can learn in private operatories comparable to today’s dental practices along with smart cameras and monitors for teaching and instruction.
Ali Bozorgzad, cofounder and executive vice president of 123Dentist, said his organization was inspired to support OC and its students because of the important role that CDAs play in the company’s dental clinics and in the patient care they deliver.
“We are tremendously proud to partner with and support the growth of Okanagan College and its students to accelerate their learning, skills, and confidence throughout their academic journey,” said Bozorgzad.
“Giving back to communities where we live and work, supporting the advancement of our dental industry and future leaders is an important part of the culture at 123Dentist,” he continued.
The gift will support a demonstration dental operatory, equipped with a hands-free video camera that will allow any procedure to be streamed to students who can see the smallest of details projected on monitors and follow along in their own operatories, OC said.
Joanne Gibbons-Smyth, chair of OC’s CDA program, said the new dental clinic strikes the perfect balance between teaching and real-world practice and will create optimal learning experiences for students.
“We are thrilled that OC students will be able to achieve their dreams in a state of the art training facility,” said Gibbons-Smyth.
“We are so appreciative of this support from 123Dentist and their dentist partners. For students to know that the industry is supporting their education just instills confidence that they’ve made the right career choice,” Gibbons-Smyth said.
Courtney Chora is a student in the OC CDA program, and her class is among the first to use the new space. She describes the new technology as helpful, along with the ability to practice in a setting that feels like a real dental clinic.
“It’s a beautiful clinic and I’m so glad to be here and enjoy this new facility,” Chora said.
Okanagan College is now $1.5 million away from its $5 million fundraising goal to complete the new Health Sciences Centre, which will educate eight in-demand healthcare professions from nurses to therapist assistants to pharmacy technicians.
CDAs are in high demand in the Okanagan and across British Columbia, OC said. The OC Foundation is inviting the public to give and ensure students have access to the very best facilities and equipment when they return to face to face learning in the fall, OC said.
Related Articles
Delta Dental Launches Scholarship at Tufts School of Dental Medicine
Mody Selected for NIH Medical Research Scholars Program
WHO and Harvard Team Up to Improve Oral Health in Africa
