For Immediate Release
Contact: Daniel Wackershauser, Marketing and PR Specialist
Phone: 608.822.2303
Mail: 1800 Bronson Blvd., Fennimore, WI 53809
Date of Release: September 24, 2024
New equipment on the way for Dental Assistant program
Delta Dental of Wisconsin Foundation providing grant funding
Fennimore -
Southwest Wisconsin Technical College is among 14 state technical colleges to be awarded matching grant funds from the Delta Dental of Wisconsin (DDWI) Foundation. The Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) submitted the grant application on behalf of the colleges. Southwest Tech will be receiving $81,840, with a college match of $11,160. The money will be used to upgrade equipment and materials, in Southwest Tech’s Dental Assistant Lab. The new equipment is expected to be in place by the fall 2025 semester.
“Our Dental Assistant program has seen consistent enrollment over the years, rising to a seven-year high of 19 in 2022,” said Cynde Larsen, chief academic officer/academic dean at Southwest Tech. “As the only oral heath educational provider in our five-county district, our program plays an important role in building a trained workforce for dental employers and the healthcare industry in our district.”
The new equipment will be a welcomed addition to the lab, according to Krista Demo, Dental Assistant instructor at Southwest Tech. “This funding will allow us to make important improvements to our lab, including new dental chairs, panoramic x-ray machine, stools, intraoral cameras, and a skull phantom, ultimately ensuring our program continues to maintain enrollment and serve our district’s oral health workforce needs,” she said.
In January, Governor Tony Evers signed Wisconsin Act 89 into law, which allocates $20 million “for oral healthcare workforce initiatives set aside for the Wisconsin Technical College System in the Joint Finance Committee’s supplemental appropriation during the 2023-25 biennial budget process.” Each college was required to match 20 percent of their funding request to the Joint Finance Committee. To further its mission of expanding access to dental care, ensuring a strong dental workforce, and improving the oral health of underserved and vulnerable populations, the DDWI Foundation pledged to match a portion (up to $2 million in aggregate) of the state’s funding of colleges’ approved initiatives.
“Delta Dental of Wisconsin looks forward to continuing its partnership with technical colleges across Wisconsin in support of their oral health workforce programs,” said Shannon Semmerling, executive director, Delta Dental of Wisconsin Foundation.
• Katy Pettersen | Wisconsin Technical College System, contributed to this article.
| Southwest Wisconsin Technical College, is one of 16 institutions that comprise the Wisconsin Technical College System. The college was recently named a top 10 finalist for the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. Southwest Tech offers more than 60 programs in a wide variety of disciplines. Courses are offered on campus, online, HyFlex and in a blended format. The college provides apprenticeship, certificate, technical diploma, and associate degree programs that respond to district workforce needs and prepare student for family-sustaining jobs and career advancement. |