Forums to seek input on PBSC dental building site
Palm Beach State College will hold internal and external forums over the next two weeks to discuss and gather input on the site selection for its new Dental & Medical Services Technology Building. The choice of sites is between the Lake Worth campus, where the existing facility is located, and the new Loxahatchee Groves campus.
PBSC students, faculty and staff are encouraged to attend the internal forum:
Tuesday, Sept. 26
3 – 4:30 p.m.
Center for Bachelor’s Programs, Room CBP 103
Lake Worth campus
Public forums will be held on the two campuses under consideration:
Lake Worth campus
Monday, Oct. 2
5:30 p.m.
Paul W. Graham Continuing Education building, Room CE 129
4200 Congress Ave.
Lake Worth
Loxahatchee Groves campus
Wednesday, Oct. 4
5:30 p.m.
Lecture Hall (LGA 139)
15845 Southern Boulevard
Loxahatchee
The forums will be video recorded, and RSVP is not required. For more information, call 561-868-3501.
In June, the Florida Legislature allocated $5 million for the new facility, far short of the $21.7 million requested from the Legislature and required to break ground. College leaders will pursue the remaining funds from the state next year as well as seek support from the community. Meanwhile, with this initial funding, the planning phase has begun.
The Dental & Medical Services Technology Building will replace the 55-year-old structure on the Lake Worth campus and provide a new home for the College’s Dental Hygiene Associate in Science degree and Dental Assisting postsecondary adult vocational certificate programs. The programs are the only such programs in Palm Beach County accredited by the American Dental Association’s Commission on Dental Accreditation, and graduates have been a mainstay of the dental health workforce in the county for decades.
In addition to education, PBSC is known for offering community dental health services. Dental hygiene students provide low-cost preventive dental care, including cleanings, and also offer dental screenings and dental health educational workshops through outreach initiatives. The College also has a longstanding partnership with the Atlantic Coast Dental Research Clinic. Dentists affiliated with ACDRC provide restorative dental needs, including fillings, implants and oral surgery, at a reduced rate to those without insurance, while PBSC dental assisting students gain valuable experience.
For more information about the PBSC Dental Health programs, visit www.palmbeachstate.edu/programs/DentalHealth.
The location of the expanded and upgraded dental school should be at the Loxahatchee Groves Campus for many reasons.
First, the center of population in Palm Beach County is shifting to the northwest.
Second, there are many less fortunate lower paid workers in the agricultural centers on the western communities (Loxahatchee, Belle Glade, Parakeet, Canal Point et cetera).
Third, Seminole Ridge High School has a pre-dental / pre-health emphasis.
Forth, there is an expanding medical presence in the Wellington-Loxahatchee area and this program would greatly benefit all.
Lox Campus!
I agree, it should be placed in the Loxahatchee.
My siblings and i attend palm beach state college and we live 1 1/2hrs from lake worth (its a two hour drive with traffic) and my older sister went to dental assistant and is going into hygiene. Many kids that pursue this dental career that are from clewiston, belle glade, pahokee and other agricultural areas are far from the closest palm beach state college campus that has to offer programs about dental.
Loxahatchee would be perfect.
I would like to see this program and others like the radiography program or other medical programs since we have 2 major hospitals within a short distance to the Loxahatchee Groves college . If you are a new high school graduate or want to return to college for higher education the Loxahatchee groves campus would be a great location.
AS Degree, Bachelor of science , Radiography, and nursing programs would be all welcome programs to the Loxahatchee Groves campus