SEATTLE VOCATIONAL INSTITUTE ANNUAL GIVING CAMPAIGN
SEATTLE VOCATIONAL INSTITUTE GIVING CAMPAIGN
The Seattle Vocational Institute is beginning its Annual Giving Campaign to support the Dental Assistant students at SVI. Educated and motivated students are the key to a productive society. That is the primary reason that SVI has focused on providing a quality education in the dental field with longterm career possibilities to over fifty graduates of this program each year.
It is hoped that as many people as possible can donate to this well run program which trains minority students and students of color for jobs as dental assistants. The majority of the Seattle Vocational Institute students are low-income, minority students who rely on financial aid and scholarships to be able to attend school. The SVI dental assisting program has maintained a phenominal 98% job placement rate for its graduates. Statistics compiled by the Washington State Board of Health Disparities reported that SVI trained and placed the highest percentage of under-represented minorities who graduated from any American Dental Association accredited dental program in Washington State.
The Seattle Vocational Institute students complete externships at area public dental clinics and private dental offices where they gain hands on experience before they accept a permanent position in the dental field. Much of the success of the SVI Dental Assistant Program can be attributed to a generous grant from the Seattle Foundation and donations from Patterson Dental Company and Arnold Dental Company. New technology, which includes digital radiography and intra-oral imaging, was added to the SVI dental program to aide both the student curriculum and the patient care services. This new technology helps the dental assistant students enter the workplace with state-of-the-art learning and ability. Many individuals, foundations, and companies have supported this valuable program. Donors may contact Dr Pollene Speed McIntyre, Dental Clinic Director, Seattle Vocational Institute, at pspeed@sccd.ctc.edu or visit the website of SVI at http://sviweb.sccd.edu/clinic.