Dental Technology Current Students

Welcome Dental Technology Students

You have chosen an exciting and challenging career with great employment potential. The next two years will be demanding and require you to adjust your family, work, school, and free time schedules. The program is set up on a block schedule, meaning you will focus on 2-3 classes at a time for 3 or 6 weeks. The Dental Technology program classes move quickly and will require a lot of your time, in and out of class. We want you to be successful in your new dental technology career, so we have set up an orientation day on August 23, 2021, starting at 8 a.m. in Linn Hall, room 2114 (the first day of classes) to help with this transition.

The topics covered in the orientation are very beneficial to incoming students for their readiness in the program. We require your participation in this informative orientation session. The orientation will cover the Dental Technology Handbook, your books, tool kits, lab schedules, scrubs, and lab jackets. Scrubs are required to be solid colors with no design. Lab jackets must be blue, with front pockets and long sleeves with cuffs. Both can be purchased at places like Wal-Mart, uniform shops, online, etc. You will need to pick up your tool kits at the Kirkwood Bookstore on the Cedar Rapids campus before Orientation. All dental technology textbooks can also be purchased at the Kirkwood bookstore, but many of the Dental Technology books can also be downloaded free of charge.  We will be going through the tool kits to make sure everything is in there and complete.

Participation is a good step toward successfully completing your goal of becoming a Dental Technician. Work hard and listen to your instructors and the next two years will fly by.

If you have any questions, please call or email Sandra Kotowske:

319-398-7125
sandra.kotowske@kirkwood.edu.

Please bring the following items on your first day

1. Wear solid-colored scrubs. Scrubs can be purchased anywhere, they do need to be a solid color – one set should be navy blue as you will need these for Clinic I (Your 2nd Fall semester).
2. Lab coat – light blue will need to be purchased for K Jean’s Uniforms at 3631 1st Avenue SE, Cedar Rapids, IA is familiar with our uniform requirements and offer a 20% discount to Kirkwood students. Or at places like: Wal-Mart, uniform shops, online, etc.
3. Safety glasses. (Not goggle / liquid / splash safety glasses, they will steam up. Safety glasses must fit over your regular glasses.)
4. Require kits from the Bookstore
   
   Tool Kit
   Bur kit (block)
   Bur kit (tube)
   Pedestal Teeth
   Electric Waxer Kit
5. Other items (You can buy at Walmart, etc.)
   
   Soft child’s toothbrush
   Stiff denture brush
   2 permanent markers (one fine point, one medium point)
   Needle nose pliers
   Wire cutters (heavy duty for orthodontics)
   Large putty knife
   Small container to hold grinding stones
   1 fingernail polish bottle (empty or full)
   Color pencils
   Lighter
   Large 3 ring binder to put all information in. (You have 4-5 classes the first semester.)
6. Textbooks purchased at Kirkwood Bookstore, or instructions for downloadable books will be given on the first day of class.

A note from our program director:

Welcome to the Dental Technology program! You have chosen a dynamic and challenging career that will bring very rewarding experiences.

The faculty and I congratulate you for choosing what we feel is a great profession. The next two years will be very busy and challenging. We realize that attending college may have already required some changes in your life. We understand that being a student is only part of your life.

To assist you in making some of the adjustments we have prepared a student handbook as a special resource of information and expectations. As you progress through the program you will probably refer back to this resource. Please contact me if you have any questions regarding the material presented in this handbook.

Our goal is your success, so as questions arise, please let us know. Our best advice to new students is:

• Take advantage of the learning experiences and support services available to you.
• Think positively during the stressful times. YOU CAN DO IT! We know you can.
• Become as knowledgeable and skilled as you can in your new career. Learn to grow as a person, professionally and ethically, as you work with others.
• Be open to new ideas.
• Be patient as you learn.
• The faculty and I look forward to working with each of you during the next few years.
  
  

Leah Coleman
Director of Dental Technology