MHS students study dentistry, other topics during CTE summer program
Jenises Velazquez (left) and Brinkley Hodshon work together to understand dentistry during Dental CSI.
Mitchell High health science students recently got a variety of firsthand experiences through the grant-funded CTE Summer Accelerator Program.
Through the program, nine students pursuing a medical career toured and spoke with employees at Mitchell County Health Department, Blue Ridge Regional Hospital, Mitchell EMS, Tribe Fitness and YMCA Healthy Living.
Students also earned their Stop the Bleed certifications and rock climbing certifications at the Marion YMCA. They enjoyed a nursing, medical assisting and EMT simulation at Mayland Community College.
The ECU School of Dental Medicine Community Service Learning Center chipped in to offer a free, in-depth “Dental CSI” experience to the students.
At the ECU Spruce Pine Learning Center, located near Blue Ridge Regional, students learned and practiced on simulator mannequins called Dexter Heads.
The Dexter Heads are prosthetic heads with real teeth. Using them, the students learned how to identify tooth decay and infections and got to place restorations on practice teeth. They also learned about root canal therapy and learned about X-rays by comparing radiographic images of the Dexter Heads’ teeth.
ECU School of Dental Medicine director of admissions Tarrick Cox traveled from Greenville to talk to students about what the dental school looks for when screening applications and touched on options for paying for education.
Jon Jones, senior director of development for the ECU Dental Medicine program, and Dr. John Royal, director of the Spruce Pine Learning Center, both spoke to students with Royal talking specifically about careers in dentistry.
Dental assistant Rebekah Renfro worked with the students throughout the day and said it was an exciting opportunity.
“Our hope is that the time spent with these students will encourage them to pursue their education in a dental-related field and come back to the area to help serve their community,” she said.
The Spruce Pine Learning Center and the ECU School of Dental Medicine remain committed to the community through such programs. The Learning Center also assists underserved area kids with free dental procedures during the annual Give Kids a Smile event, usually held in February.
“We love partnering with our local schools to get young people interested in serving their community by using their talents to make a difference,” said Spruce Pine Learning Center business services coordinator Gene Self. “We look forward to a continued partnership with our educators and students.”