New campus in Florida will train up to 190 dental hygienists
and dental assistants annually
KANSAS
CITY, Mo. and EFFINGHAM,
Ill., Aug. 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Concorde
Career Colleges, the healthcare education division of Universal Technical Institute, Inc., and Heartland
Dental today announced a first-of-its-kind partnership to develop a
co-branded campus for dental hygiene and dental assistant programs.
Heartland Dental is one of the largest dental support organizations
in the nation, with more than 23,000 employees at more than 1,750
supported dental offices.
The partnership is designed to help address Heartland
Dental-supported practices' significant demand for dental
hygienists and dental assistants in specific markets. The first
campus, scheduled to open in fall 2025 in Fort Myers, Fla., will train up to 120 dental
hygienists and 72 dental assistants annually using Concorde's
curriculum, instructors and student support services. Heartland
Dental is funding the total cost of the construction, including
durable equipment and initial supplies. The company will also
provide scholarships to students.
"In all my years in the dental field and at Heartland Dental,
our investment in education and commitment to making opportunities
available for individuals to grow their skills has been at the
heart of who we are. Our partnership with Concorde has supported
this commitment and our culture of education for many years. We
know there is a strong need in the communities we serve for dental
care, and the opportunity to establish a co-branded campus with
Concorde to help meet this need with skilled dental hygienists and
dental assistants is remarkable. We knew Concorde was the right
partner for this venture given their deep expertise and strong
curriculum in these areas," shared Pat
Bauer, Heartland Dental President and CEO.
"This groundbreaking partnership builds upon the alliance of two
organizations that are committed to increasing access to dental
services across the United
States," said Kevin Prehn,
President of Concorde Career Colleges. "Through our existing
partnership with Heartland, we have seen how they are invested in
their employees and are continually innovating to ensure the
success of their supported practices. And, as one of the leading
educators of dental hygienists and dental assistants in the nation,
Concorde is uniquely positioned to help meet workforce needs in
Heartland-supported practices while creating pathways to employment
for our graduates."
Nationwide, employment of dental hygienists and dental
assistants is projected to grow 7% from 2022 to 2032, faster than
the average for all occupations.1 In states where
Concorde has multiple campuses, the demand is significantly higher.
In Florida, dental hygienists and
dental assistants have a 15.8% and 15.7% projected job growth,
respectively, between 2023 and 2031.2
Concorde currently has more than 1,900 students in its dental
hygiene and dental assisting programs, which are offered at 14 and
16 of Concorde's 17 campus locations, respectively. The
institution's dental hygiene curriculum blends online and on-ground
coursework with in-person lab instruction and clinical experience
to prepare students to enter the dental industry in as few as 17
months.3 The institution's dental assistant diploma
curriculum combines foundational concepts of dental care and front
office operations with an externship to prepare students for the
profession in as few as eight months.4
Heartland Dental has collaborated with Concorde for several
years to address its need for dental hygienists,
including student scholarships, company-sponsored dental
hygiene labs on campus and graduate pinning ceremonies. The company
also supports Concorde's pediatric community events that offer
free dental services. To date, Heartland has hired 325 Concorde
dental hygiene graduates.
For more information about Heartland Dental,
visit World-Class Dental Support Organization | Heartland
Dental. To learn more about Concorde's dental programs, visit
Dental Programs | Concorde Career Colleges.
1Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics,
Occupational Outlook for Dental Hygienists and Dental Assistants
nationally, 2022-2032, viewed July 30,
2024.
2Source: Florida Department of
Commerce, Employment Projections for Dental Hygienists and Dental
Assistants in Florida 2023-2031,
viewed July 30, 2024.
3,4Program length
may be subject to change dependent on transfer credits and course
schedule. Please refer to current course catalog for more
information. Concorde does not guarantee admittance, graduation,
employment, or salary.
About Concorde Career Colleges
Concorde Career
Colleges, the healthcare division of Universal Technical
Institute, Inc. (NYSE: UTI), operates 17 healthcare focused
campuses across eight states under the brands Concorde Career
College and Concorde Career Institute,
preparing America's next generation of health care and dental
professionals for rewarding careers. The Concorde blended education
model combines online coursework with in-person lab classes and
clinical settings. Concorde's 25 student-focused academic programs
and personalized support prepares graduates for in-demand careers
in nursing, dental, respiratory, diagnostic, and other healthcare
roles. Concorde schools are accredited by the Accrediting
Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) and the Council
on Occupational Education (COE). For more information, visit
concorde.edu or uti.edu or, or visit us on LinkedIn at
@Concorde Career Colleges and @UniversalTechnicalInstitute or on X
(formerly Twitter) at @ConcordeCareer or @news_UTI.
About Heartland Dental
Heartland Dental is the nation's largest dental support
organization providing non-clinical, administrative support
services. What started from the entrepreneurial spirit of Rick
Workman, DMD, with his single dental practice, has evolved into
affiliating with over 2,800 doctors in over 1,750 locations across
39 states and the District of Columbia. The company is majority owned by
KKR, a leading global investment firm. For additional information,
please visit heartland.com.
Media Contacts:
Sharon Rolenc
srolenc@uti.edu
612-720-2083
Heartland Dental
Jessica Thompson
media@heartland.com
561-690-1465
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SOURCE Concorde Career Colleges