Blue Hills Regional Technical School recently hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the grand opening of its new Dental Assisting Career Technical Education (CTE) program.

 

On Friday, Sept. 25, faculty, community partners and friends gathered in the new Dental Assisting clinic in recognition of the school’s 18th CTE program, which received its official Chapter 74 designation on Aug. 24, 2026. 

 

Several School Committee members and state officials were in attendance, including Chair Mark Driscoll of Canton, Vice Chair Taryn Mohan of Holbrook, Member Kevin Connolly of Norwood, state Sen. William Driscoll, state Rep. Bruce Ayers and Norfolk County Clerk of Courts Walter Timilty.

 

The Dental Assisting program was developed in response to strong student interest in healthcare careers and regional workforce demand for trained dental professionals. 

 

Attendees heard remarks from Superintendent-Director Jill Rossetti and Principal Geoffrey Zini. During the ceremony, Zini accepted citations in recognition of the ribbon cutting on behalf of state Sen. Paul Feeney and Clerk of Courts Timilty. 

 

This academic year, ninth-grade students will participate in the school's exploratory and placement process before entering their respective CTE program.

 

There are 12 seats available per graduating class in the Dental Assisting program. Students who enter this program will build their skills through classroom instruction and hands-on clinical learning throughout their time at Blue Hills.

 

"Dental assisting is in high demand in our area, and we have also seen strong interest from our students in health-related fields," said Principal Zini. "These factors helped us determine the need to add this healthcare program into our curriculum, and we are excited to support our Dental Assisting students as they learn skills to help them succeed in today's job market."

 

Through the program, students will develop the technical knowledge and hands-on skills needed to pursue dental assisting and related careers after graduation.

 

"For us, establishing our 18th Chapter 74 program isn’t about simply adding another program, it’s about creating another pathway and opportunity for our students," said Superintendent-Director Rossetti. "By adding another healthcare program, we continue to open new doors for students and give them more options to explore their interests and prepare for their futures."

 

Dental Assisting students will gain hands-on experience inside the school’s new Dental Assisting clinic. A room within the school building was renovated to accommodate the new program. 

 

The clinic houses dental treatment chairs including front and rear delivery set-ups, a state-of-the-art sterilization area, dental laboratory equipment, dental x-ray technology and an intraoral digital scanner. Students will also work with Dentrix dental practice management software to gain experience with technology used in dental offices.

 

Along with all new dental equipment, the renovations provided new wall, floor and ceiling finishes, as well as new plumbing, mechanical and electrical systems.

 

Future plans for the program include expansions to develop externship and co-op opportunities with local dental offices.

 

“Students will have the opportunity to work with many of the same types of equipment and technology they would encounter in a professional dental setting,” said Vocational Director Jill Ferris. “The goal is to give students a strong combination of classroom knowledge and hands-on experience so that they graduate prepared to support dental professionals and enter the field with industry-relevant skills and credentials."

 

The planning process began in 2024 with the development of a Dental Assisting Program Advisory Committee, who worked on the Chapter 74 application and focused on the program’s facility planning and construction, curriculum development, equipment selection and other vocational program requirements.

 

The development and equipping of the new Dental Assisting clinic was made possible in part through the generous support of an anonymous donor grant.