A Calgary-based online learning institute is addressing the shortage of rural dental workers by letting students get educated from home.
“We offer a distance-delivery dental assistant program Canada-wide,” said Risio Institute co-founder and CEO Carey-Ann Balkwill.
“All of our theory and modules are held online, with a short, intensive clinical component that we hold in Calgary. They would come in twice to learn clinical inter-oral skills. Once halfway through the program and once at the end.”
The program may help the downward trend in certified dental assistant (CDA) recruitment in recent years, as reported by the British Columbia College of Oral Health Professionals.
“The vision and intent of our program is to keep people employed at dental offices in their hometown,” explained Balkwill.
“That can help solve labour shortages by keeping people employed while they get educated, trained and certified in dental assisting.”
Balkwill said moving away for an education can cause problems for clinics in smaller communities.
“Some people will go to larger city centres and go to a program where they may have to leave home, and smaller rural communities are having a hard time getting those people back,” said Balkwill.
“With us, clinics can find really great people in their community and recruit them into the dental industry. A lot of dentists and dental assistants will train on the job and Risio Institute can help with that.”
Balkwill said the institute currently has a student from Fernie enrolled in their dental assistant program.
Students who graduate from the Risio Institute’s CDA program are fully certified and recognized by B.C. and federal regulatory bodies.
The Risio Institute also offers post-graduate certification so students can return for further qualifications, such as orthodontics.
More: Risio Institute CDA program
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