Pueblo Community College completes $6.3 million renovation for dental hygiene program
Looking to best equip students for high-demand dental hygiene jobs, Pueblo Community College has reopened its Health Science building with $6.3 million worth of improvements.
Renovations were funded by the Colorado General Assembly's capital development committee, with an initial $100,000 pledge from PCC. The new improvements include larger workspaces, x-ray rooms, a new roof, lounge space, offices and community clinic improvements.
HW Houston Construction served as the project's general contractor, while Steve Weidner served as project manager.
Prior to the renovations, dental students were scattered between two different buildings and also had to share space with the college's nursing program, which has since relocated to the Mary Jane Voelker Tower at St. Mary-Corwin Hospital.
"It takes a lot of stress off instructors to be in the same area, we're not having to be in two different places at the same time," said Linda Blasi, dental hygiene program chair. "It's definitely providing the workforce because dental hygiene is in very big demand... we're putting (students) out into the workforce immediately."
In addition to creating space in one building for all dental hygiene instructors and students, the renovations create space in the campus' Medical Arts and Technology building, previously the dental hygiene program's second home.
PCC plans to use the Medical Arts and Technology building's recently vacated space as a home for its cosmetology program, for which the college currently leases an off-campus building.
"We knew the nursing program would be moving to St. Mary-Corwin, so now we're able to consolidate two operations into one for greater efficiencies, which also helps us keep tuition lower," PCC President Patty Erjavec said in a news release.
PCC's dental hygiene program began 46 years ago. One of the program's hallmarks, the community dental clinic, gives students hands-on experience while providing affordable dental care to the community.
Students work in the community dental clinic with a supervising dentist and certified faculty. While the community clinic may be an added time commitment for patients, students are able to give community members quality cleanings, x-rays and other preventative care procedures at reduced rates, Blasi said.
Dental hygiene exams at the community clinic are $25 for children ages 6 to 15 and $30 for adults. Periodontal cleanings are $80. Sealants for children under 14 years of age are $10. The clinic also offers home bleaching treatments for $100.
More information about the PCC community dental clinic can be found at pueblocc.edu/Dental-Clinics. Appointments can be made by calling 719-549-3286.
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Pueblo Chieftain reporter James Bartolo can be reached at JBartolo@gannett.com. Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com.
This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: How a $6.3 million renovation benefits the PCC dental hygiene program
