“ real-world experience that
prepares them for success in today’ s dental field.
Space Coast Health Foundation CEO and President Johnette Gindling voiced strong support for the expansion, stating:“ EFSC has long been a cornerstone in our community, educating future dental professionals while directly addressing the dental health needs of our most vulnerable neighbors.”
Cocoa Mayor Mike Blake praised the expansion plan, noting its critical impact on underserved populations.
“ It provides invaluable service to many of the children and seniors in our
Enhancing EFSC’ s Dental Programs
To meet this ever-growing need, EFSC will be relocating and expanding its dental program to Building 3 on its Cocoa Campus— a move that will increase the training facility’ s space from 7,000 to 13,000 square feet. In addition to roadside visibility, direct community access, and more available parking spaces for the public, the relocation will increase the number of available dental stations from 12 to 30, allowing dental students to serve two to three times more patients.
Dr. Mary Bruno, EFSC’ s Program Manager for Dental Assisting, sees the expansion as providing exciting, handson opportunities for students.
Giving Back to the Community
community who would not be able to obtain the dental care they need without the College,” said Blake.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of dental hygienists and assistants will grow faster than average nationwide over the next ten years. Florida’ s continuously expanding aging population creates an increased demand for dental health services. Additionally, the Space Coast’ s booming aerospace and technology fields continue to attract career professionals
“ The new space will have state-of-theart equipment, such as a 3D printer and scanner, which will allow for the
“ real-world experience that
prepares them for success in today’ s dental field.
”
— Dr. Mary Bruno
creation and fitting of dentures and bridges for community members,” said Dr. Bruno.“ This gives Dental Assisting and Hygiene students real-world and employers to the area.
“ Those employers who are deciding to relocate to Florida’ s Space Coast are expecting our state to ensure the dental health care needs of their families and employees,” said Lynda Weatherman, President and CEO of the Economic Development Commission.“ I appreciate President Jim Richey going above and beyond to ensure EFSC does its part in contributing to the success of Florida’ s vibrant future.”
experience that prepares them for success in today’ s dental field.”
Alongside the new 3D printer, the facility will feature upgraded dental chairs, as well as x-ray, diagnostic, and other lab equipment needed to operate the facility. Most significantly, the expansion will double class capacity, allowing more students to be accepted into these limited-access programs.
“ With a larger clinic, we will be able to see more patients and provide preventive services to those in need,” said Jessica Milford, EFSC’ s Dental Hygiene Program Manager.“ All at a far more affordable rate than typical dental offices.”
Dental Hygiene program provides hands-on training to future professionals.
The EFSC Dental Facility serves as a low-cost dental clinic, providing routine care such as cleanings, x-rays, sealants, and other preventive services to community members who would not otherwise get the care they need. This preventive care helps reduce emergency room visits related to untreated dental health issues, helping avoid the high costs of medical interventions.
“ For families facing housing instability and financial distress, such access removes a critical barrier to health and confidence, directly contributing to their ability to stabilize and thrive,” said Tara Pagliarini, Executive Director of Family Promise of Brevard.“ The planned expansion of EFSC’ s Dental Clinic represents a significant opportunity to improve community health outcomes by increasing service capacity and reducing wait times for those most in need.”
Furthermore, EFSC’ s efforts help prepare and educate children in surrounding communities regarding the importance of maintaining their dental health. Children ages 4-17 receive free preventive care thanks to generous
13 | EFSC COLLEGE ACCOMPLISHMENTS