In a recent ABC27 Good Day PA segment, Dr. Michael Verber and Shari Franey from TalentGro discussed their collaborative workforce development efforts focused on dental apprenticeships. Dr. Verber highlighted that while the access to care crisis prevents patients from seeing dental providers, it also reveals incredible family-sustaining career opportunities in the dental field. Verber Dental Group actively recruits young people through hands-on immersion programs where students can explore everything from dental lab technology to orthodontics and oral surgery within their dental health system. The missing piece—what comes next for these students—is now being addressed through an exciting apprenticeship partnership.
Shari Franey explained that the pre-apprenticeship School to Work grant enables them to reach students directly in schools and through workforce boards, raising awareness that apprenticeships offer a substantial pathway to career success. This represents the first step in a career pathway, providing opportunities for exploration beyond traditional healthcare roles like nursing or becoming a doctor. The program, which started in summer, gives students broad exposure to multiple dental healthcare occupations, helping them discover which direction suits them best. Students can then choose whether to enter the workforce through apprenticeships or continue to college after graduation. The grant-funded program is currently accepting participants. For more information about dental career opportunities, visit VerberDentalGroup.com/careers.
