City of SA awards $500K for dental hygiene program at Palo Alto College

Program expected to launch in fall 2021

SAN ANTONIO – The city of San Antonio has awarded $500,000 to Palo Alto College to go toward the implementation of a dental hygiene program at the Alamo Colleges District school.

The announcement was made Wednesday at a news conference by District 4 City Councilman Rey Saldaña.

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"The dental hygiene program will undoubtedly transform the educational aspirations and quality of life for our residents," Saldaña said. 

Pending accreditation approval, the two-year program is expected to launch in fall 2021 and will offer an Associate of Applied Science in Dental Hygiene. 

"This support from the city of San Antonio is vital because dental hygiene affects every person in our community, regardless of location, age or income," said Palo Alto College President Robert Garza. "As a pillar in south San Antonio, it is our responsibility to offer degree programs that will not only provide our students with marketable and employable skills, but also expand beyond the classroom to impact the daily lives of our community."

The funding will allow Palo Alto College to serve up to 1,000 uninsured or underinsured limited-income children and adults annually with significant risk for oral health issues, officials said.


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David Ibañez has been managing editor of KSAT.com since the website's launch in October 2000.