Lake Area Technical College in Watertown is opening a new program for dental hygienists.

Nicole Paul is LATC program director for dental assisting She said the program fills a gap in the state's labor market.

“There has been a need for dental assistance and dental hygienists in South Dakota for quite a while," Paul said. "Dental assisting has three school options available in South Dakota, whereas dental hygiene has only had one school option available. So, since COVID, we’ve noticed there’s been a large amount of dental offices just crying for professionals.”

Paul said students considering health care should look at the dental field.

“One of the nice things about dental is we don’t have evening or weekend hours, whereas a lot of the medical profession does," Paul said. "So, I just want to reiterate that we are a part of the medical profession. We are the gateway to the human body. Most people enjoy eating, and we help them maintain oral health so they can enjoy their pastimes.”

Potential students are encouraged to call the LATC offices to inquire about the program.