Palm Beach State College (PBSC) President Ava L. Parker recently hosted Kevin O’Farrell, chancellor for the Florida Department of Education’s Division of Career and Adult Education, at the Loxahatchee Groves campus to showcase the campus’s key workforce programs. The highlight of the visit was a tour of the new Dental & Medical Services Technology Building, currently under construction.
The new 83,500-square-foot, four-story building is a state-of-the-art facility that will house cutting-edge laboratories for students pursuing careers in dental hygiene, dental assisting, surgical technology, and other healthcare occupations. O’Farrell, a Palm Beach County native, was impressed by the scope of the project and the ambitious use of cutting-edge technology in the building.
Accompanying Parker and O’Farrell on the tour were Executive Dean Kimberly Lancaster, Health and Medical Innovations Director Ed Willey, PBSC’s architect James Storm, and the project team from Kaufman Lynn Construction. They all got an up-close look at the progress of the construction and the advanced equipment being installed in the labs.
One of the highlights of the tour was a visit to a classroom equipped with an Anatomage Table, a highly advanced 3D anatomy visualization and virtual dissection system. Dr. Vetaley Stashenko, a PBSC science professor, demonstrated how the table allows students to visualize organs in detail from CT scans and even print out 3D structures of the organs. This technology provides students with a unique and interactive way to learn anatomy, enhancing their educational experience.
The new Dental & Medical Services Technology Building is set to open in February of next year, with classes scheduled to begin in fall 2025. O’Farrell expressed his excitement for the addition to the campus, emphasizing the importance of providing students with access to innovative resources like the Anatomage Table.
Overall, O’Farrell was impressed by the commitment of PBSC to providing students with cutting-edge facilities and technology to enhance their education. The new building at the Loxahatchee Groves campus will not only benefit students pursuing healthcare careers but also serve as a valuable resource for the central and western communities in Palm Beach County. With its focus on practical, hands-on learning experiences, PBSC continues to be a leader in preparing students for successful careers in the healthcare industry.
