What is JTED? JTED is a career and technical program offered to students who want to take action in kick-starting their careers.

Dental Assisting student Alexa Alapeck (junior) decided to take the course for the first time this year. “I wanted to do dental assisting because it sounded interesting and it was a potential career path that I wanted to follow.”

So what exactly is Dental Assisting? “In this class, we learn a lot about how to work on teeth and the anatomy behind teeth and the mouth. We go online on Mondays and Tuesdays and then in person on Thursdays. When online, we typically just take notes and learn new material, then when we go in person we do labs and get hands-on learning.”

There are numerous JTED courses, but what is so special about Dental Assisting? “It’s a hands-on course so instead of learning all through a book, we get to learn by practicing and actually using the real equipment you would use in a real dental office. I go to the Santa Rita location and there we get to practice in a real dental office that has never been used for the public. It really is an interesting course and you can continue further in dental assisting after JTED.”

When taking JTED classes, there are certain ones where you can get certifications and even jobs straight out of the course. “For the class I am taking, the certification I have received is through OSHA. This means that I have completed 10 hours of OSHA-authorized training on a  critical workplace safety topic. It took a lot of time and a lot of hard work, but I am glad that I met the requirements. Getting an OSHA certification looks good to have when entering the workforce, especially if you’re going into any type of medical field.”

With there being so many options of JTED classes to take, it can be overwhelming to pick just one. “Students should definitely consider taking the Dental Assisting course. It is very hands on and the material is interesting. It can be a lot of work at times but in the end it is all worth it. I would especially recommend this course to people who find the field of dental work interesting!”