PCC's Dental Clinic And Programs Return To New Downtown Portland Facility -04/13/21
PORTLAND, Ore. – A year ago, like the rest of the world, the Portland Community College Dental Hygiene and Assisting students were thrown a curveball. When the pandemic hit, PCC was forced to transition to virtual operations that resulted in it closing in-person classes indefinitely.
The move was devastating. Dental students need in-person practice on real patients in order to have the skills and experience to join a workforce that is in desperate need of qualified workers.
“We all kind of panicked,” remembered Jennifer Osawa, a dental hygiene student. “We wondered, ‘How can this be? What happens if we lose our skills?’ We would have to start the program over. I think all of us, when learning new skills, are trying to build muscle memory in our hands and bodies. We have to practice our posturing and such. A year away is a lot.”
When PCC went to remote operations, 38 Dental Hygiene Program students were enrolled — 20 in their second year and 18 in their first. Working with college resources, Dental Director Josette Beach was able to help the second-year students graduate at the end of summer 2020. The first-year hopefuls were just finishing their classroom work and now couldn’t practice their skills on actual patients as they were forced to stay home.
“I was stressed about all of my classes and my life at home,” said student Laura Loaiciga Ulloa. “My daughter was home, and she wasn’t used to going to online school. My son was 3 years old, and he was home too. It was very stressful. I was OK with a few terms online, and I tried to adapt to online school, but I preferred in-person classes.”
When spring term began this past March 29, these students were finally able to return to the classroom for resumption of in-person classes and training. This puts them on course to complete their state-mandated 540 hours of clinical practice and graduate this fall.
“Some of the things that we did to support them was to implement a new formal mentoring program during remote operations,” Beach said. “We paired each student with an instructor to act as a mentor to touch base with the students. We wanted the students to know that they had a connection to somebody who cared about what was going on with them and who they could ask any questions.”
Meanwhile, a year ago the Dental Assisting Certificate cohort of 43 students was only a few months away from finishing up their hands-on training when they stopped in-person instruction. Staff worked hard to help the students complete the required externships at local dental offices and wrap-up their certificates by the end of summer 2020, a mere one term later than usual.
At the same time a brand new group of 18 part-time students began their certificates. Last fall, the students started taking online classes, and are now experiencing their first in-person learning this spring. The college also offers its traditional full-time Dental Assisting Program, and currently has 41 students enrolled.
During these tough times, the community rallied around these important programs. Last October, Beach and her team raised $7,775 to help pay for a two-credit “Skills Review” class for students to take before going back into the dental clinic to work on patients.
“We weren’t just going to throw them into treating patients without making sure that they had reviewed and we’re ready,” Beach explained. “The fact that the community donated money so that they would not have to pay for those extra credits to get that review class was a big boost to our students.”
With much hard work, PCC was able to either help dental students continue their training or complete their education. And this spring term — more than a year later when PCC went to remote or online instruction — the dental assisting and hygiene students, as well as the college’s new dental clinic, physically returned to their classroom, which is a brand new space in downtown Portland called the Vanport Building.
It’s a massive step up. The synergy at the new downtown Portland facility is electric. PCC partnered with Portland State University, the City of Portland and Oregon Health & Science University to provide a range of healthcare services and community resources at one location.
PCC’s new third-floor area includes a low-cost dental clinic, four labs consisting of a simulation and radiology lab, three classrooms, student lounge, faculty offices and waiting area for patients. The new digs are more than three times the size of its Sylvania space at 30,000 square feet.
The clinic is the cornerstone to training for the dental students and for those in the community who want great dental care for a low price. It offers care to community members who, by booking appointments with the program, help train dental hygiene and assisting students.
Students provide free dental exams, dental X-rays, cleanings, small fillings and sealants, under the supervision of licensed professionals. The cost is no more than $25 for a visit, and often less. Appointments are three to four hours long and work may require multiple visits.
To make an appointment, call 971-722-4909 or email dentalclinic@pcc.edu.
About Portland Community College: Portland Community College is the largest post-secondary institution in Oregon and provides training, degree and certificate completion, and lifelong learning to more than 60,000 full- and part-time students in Multnomah, Washington, Yamhill, Clackamas, and Columbia counties. PCC has four comprehensive campuses, eight education centers or areas served, and approximately 200 community locations in the Portland metropolitan area. The PCC district encompasses a 1,500-square-mile area in northwest Oregon and offers two-year degrees, one-year certificate programs, short-term training, alternative education, pre-college courses and life-long learning.
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