VALPARAISO, Ind. — HealthLinc, a federally qualified health center, is tackling workforce shortages in its dental clinics by training local residents to become dental assistants. The initiative not only addresses staffing gaps but also strengthens the center’s ability to expand patient access.
The program, supported by the Delta Dental Foundation, covers tuition, licensing, scrubs, supplies, and even pays students while they train. It blends classroom instruction with hands-on clinical experience, preparing participants for careers in dental care.
Staffing Challenges in Dental Care
HealthLinc, which operates multiple dental clinics in Northwest Indiana, struggled to maintain sufficient staffing. Dental assistants play a crucial role in clinic operations, handling patient preparation, sterilization, procedure assistance, and front-desk tasks. Without enough assistants, dentists’ capacity to see patients is severely limited.
“The challenge from the dental field is that a dental office really runs with the staff,” said Dr. Isaac Zeckel, HealthLinc’s dental director. “The dentist is just the license that oversees things, but the work that makes it function is done by assistants and front-desk staff.”
Before the pandemic, HealthLinc already faced difficulty recruiting dental assistants—a problem exacerbated as private practices offered higher wages. “There were times we couldn’t even figure out how to have one assistant for each dentist,” Zeckel said.
Building an In-House Training Program
In 2021, HealthLinc hired dental educator Lita Gamez to create a four-month program combining classroom and clinical training. Students spend two days a week in class and three days working alongside experienced assistants and dentists.
“Most of the people we bring in have no dental experience,” Zeckel said.
The program helps students prepare for Indiana’s dental X-ray licensing exam and provides pathways for career advancement. Some graduates have become expanded function dental assistants, allowing them to place fillings under dentist supervision—a role that increases clinic efficiency.
Expanding Access to Care
With the training program, HealthLinc has rebuilt its workforce. Currently, 17 dental assistants work in the clinics, 12 of whom were trained in-house.
“If my capacity as a dentist is 2,800 patient encounters a year, with only one assistant, I might only reach 1,400,” Zeckel explained. “This program allows us to see more patients and keep our offices running.”
The initiative demonstrates a practical solution for community health centers nationwide facing dental staffing shortages. HealthLinc has begun sharing its model with other centers, encouraging them to develop similar programs.
“There’s nothing unique about what we started,” Zeckel said. “I’ve been advocating for other health centers to do this. I don’t see how we would be functional without this program.”
