Government has moved to encourage Bermudians seeking to pursue careers in the dental field.

Minister of Development and Government Services Terry Lister recently announced financial assistance is available for students training to become dental assistants and hygienists.

The National Training Board has identified partner colleges in the US and Canada and is pushing students toward the dental field after being informed by the Bermuda Dental Association of its growing need for dental assistants.

It has also been noted that work permits for dental hygienists have increased by 63 percent over the last four years.

Government offered financial assistance for Bermudians wishing to train as dental assistants or upgrade to hygienists last year, 13 people applied.

Twelve stuck with the programme and Government has now committed to financially assisting four people a year for the next three years to train as dental assistants.

Government will also assist three people in upgrading their skills to become hygienists.

The seven students will head off to colleges and universities in the fall.

The scheme was launched after the National Training Board's attempt to establish local training programmes for dental students was dashed.

The board's Consultant Liaison Officer Terry Bond admitted that while studying the possibility of establishing a local dental training facility, the facilities at the old Base Hospital were examined and found to be obsolete.

And he added that the extremely strict accreditation requirements that such a facility would have to provide plus the expense of setting up and running such a facility made it unfeasible.

"Considering the extremely strict accreditation requirements, it was easier for Government to provide financial assistance for these students to study overseas.'' However he noted that Government is working with the Bermuda College to see if a future programme could be offered where dental students do some of their studies in Bermuda before going overseas to complete their practicums and sit their exams.

"We are looking at the feasibility of satellite links and mock exams via computer,'' said Mr. Bond.

Meanwhile most of the students have studied general courses at Bermuda College.

Four were accepted at Middlesex Community College in Massachusetts where they will undertake extremely intensive courses over two semesters in order to become registered dental assistants.

Two others currently employed as dental assistants will attend dental hygiene programmes at the University of New England and Howard University respectively.

And a third was accepted into a programme at Dalhousie University, in Nova Scotia.

Mr. Bond noted that Middlesex Community College was selected because it is located in one of the six US states which is licensed to offer training for extended studies -- a skill local dentists want hygienists and assistants to have.

The college has an excellent reputation and is extremely well-equipped for dental training. It also offers a multi-cultural environment with many ethnic students from around the world.

Under Bermuda law, dental assistants and hygienists do not have to be certified but do have to sit an exam set by the Dental Board, said Mr. Lister.

However the overseas training the students will receive will enable them to gain international recognition for their skills with the opportunity to sit exams by the Dental Assisting National Board in order to become licensed by the American Dental Association, he added.

The Minister also noted that he was proud of the commitment exhibited by the students who have chosen to go back to school to pursue their dreams.

"For some of these students, it has been a long road trying to save as much money as they can, and just deciding to leave their young families for a year to pursue their education overseas takes a lot of sacrifice and dedication.'' Education Minister Terry Lister