In a recent ABC27 Good Day PA segment, Dr. Michael Verber of the Verber Dental Group and Kelly Lougee from Emerge Education announced an innovative partnership addressing Pennsylvania’s dental workforce shortage by connecting high school students to career opportunities. Dr. Verber emphasized that while the access to care crisis affects all of Pennsylvania, some Mid-State counties rank among the worst for dental access. While Central Penn College serves higher education students, this new partnership with Emerge Education creates a crucial pipeline for younger students to enter the dental field.
Emerge Education, founded in 2014 and located in Mechanicsburg, specializes in workforce development and has partnered with Talent Grow to secure a School to Work grant through the Department of Labor and Industry. This grant fully covers tuition, national certification costs, and hands-on skills training for high school seniors interested in becoming dental assistants through nationally recognized certificate programs. The program offers three pathways upon graduation: pursuing college studies in dentistry (such as dental hygiene or dental school), entering the workforce immediately with dental partners seeking to hire, or participating in registered apprenticeship programs. Students interested in this fully-funded opportunity can reach out to either Dr. Verber or Kelly Lougee.
For more information about dental career opportunities, visit VerberDentalGroup.com/careers.
