Replacement Teacher for Dental Assistance

JOHNNY HUYNH
Staff Writer
The Dental Assistance class is a Regional Occupation Program (ROP) affiliated course, which seeks to teach students skills in various trades. In this case, students were being taught the skills that aid dentistry experts in their work.
At the end of the course, students would become certified dental assistants, allowing them to take on a job in the occupation if they wished to do so.
However, instructor Josie Vaca unexpectedly resigned from her job in November. Vaca made an announcement that she would quit her position in the class.
“The class was told we [would] no longer learn dentistry,” said junior Lucinda Murphy. “I think it was an unfortunate situation, given [that] we thought we were going to get a free career [opportunity] out of the class.”
According to Murphy, Vaca told the class that she felt the environment was unfit for class sessions. In addition, the fact that many students were involuntarily enrolled provided an apathetic stance for the class.
Vaca has been offered a full time position in the Los Angeles Unified School District, which she accepted.
“I think the school was not ready for a dental assisting class because [little] time was put into getting the proper equipment and classroom,” said junior Steven Uy. “We did not even have proper sinks. How [can] you teach a dental assisting class if you don’t have water?”
The dental assistance class was arranged during the summer and occupies a former science classroom.
ROP coordinators have finished the search for instructors to replace Vaca.
The new instructor was selected on the basis of experience and professionalism in the dental field.
In the meantime, substitute teachers will continue to teach the class.
“We are trying our best to get someone to teach the class,” said ROP counselor Janice Liu. “We have found a potential teacher who is teaching at Pasadena City College, but it will be up to the [district’s] Human Resources [department] to complete the process.”