I write this letter with the finality of explaining a personal case or problem that I am going through. I am a full-time student in the Dental Assistant Program managed by the director, Ms. Dickenson. Around May 29, I decided to apply for the Dental Hygienist Program, so I tasked myself with gathering all the information that I needed to apply for the program from Ms. Dickenson. She explained to me the documents that I needed and the requirements that I had to complete in order to enter the Dental Hygienist Program. This information was in agreement with the one I received from Counselor Veronica Fulton.
When I spoke with Ms. Dickenson she advised me that I had to fulfill the accuplacer exam, turn-in my high school certificate, send my Bachelors Degree to Austin, Texas to be evaluated, take a physical exam, and turn in my immunizations record among others. I tried to have everything that Ms. Dickenson asked for in ten days. Some of the documents, like my high school certificate, I had to request from Chihuahua, Mexico. After the interview with Ms. Dickenson, I immediately went to take the accuplacer for essay, math, and reading. I took the reading accuplacer several times and was unable to pass it. I understood what was and still is my disadvantage in that exam (since I have taken several times and been unable to pass it). English is my second language and Ive never seen some of the words that are key to choosing the right answer, furthermore, without the help of a English to Spanish dictionary, it is difficult to pass.
When the accuplacer rankings came out, I went to speak with Ms. Dickenson and explained that my problem was passing the reading exam.
After I explained my situation and had everything else in order, Ms. Dickenson told me that without passing the reading exam, it is impossible to enter the Dental Hygienist Program. But she advised me that I could go into the Dental Assistant Program again because it was a good opportunity since I already had the knowledge and experience and it would be easy for me. And I could get ahead in the classes since the first semester of Dental Assistant and Dental Hygienist are almost the same material. She also told me that if I went into the Dental Assistant Program, I would automatically pass into the Dental Hygienist Program and would not have to worry about the accuplacer anymore, which seemed like a good deal to me. She also mentioned that I would be certified and would be a RDA in Texas and eventually I would become DANB.
Based on the above, and most importantly, that I would automatically pass into the Dental Hygienist Program without worrying about the accuplacer, I made my decision to study Dental Assistant again. Afterwards, I went to see Veronica Fulton to register and when I was in her office, she called Ms. Dickenson to ask her If I could still get into the Dental Assistant Program, since the registration date had already passed. After she finished her call, she advised me that I could register and I mentioned that Ms. Dickenson had told me that I would automatically be passed into the Dental Hygienist Program without having to worry about the accuplacer. This was something that she personally did not like because she felt that I had to go through the ranking process like all the other students and that it was not fair, but if Ms. Dickenson had said the above, then it was her decision. So I entered the program in August with the intention of going into the Dental Hygienist Program, which has always been my goal.
Since I did not hear anything from Ms. Dickenson at the start of June I took the reading exam again several times, but was unable to pass it. Afterwards, I spoke with Ms. Dickenson about the problem I was having and she told me that she was very sorry, but if I did not pass the reading exam, it was impossible for them to accept me in the Dental Hygienist Program. Then I mentioned and reminded her about what she had told me about going into the Dental Assistant Program and automatically being accepted into the Dental Hygienist Program and everything else mentioned above. At that moment, she denied it and said that perhaps I had confused the information, which I disagreed with and told her that I was sure I had not misinterpreted any information. Since I had already graduated from the Dental Assistant Program at Concorde Institute in Denver, Colorado in 2001 and had several years experience working as a Dental Assistant, I had nothing to gain, if not acceptance into the Dental Hygienist Program. She told me that she was sorry, but that things do not work that way.
Then asked her if there were any other options and Ms. Dickenson answered me that only if I was certified or registered could I enter into the Dental Hygienist Program, but since I did not have either, I could not be accepted into the program. And that in July we would be certified and registered. Then I commented to her that since she already knew about my situation, why had she not informed me about this option, so I could have prepared and been certified before July. I have had the opportunity to get certified previously but did not pursue it out of respect for her and not getting ahead of the program. I commented that where I am doing my practical work, I had been offered me a position a long time ago. Dr. Brown, who is in charge of The Family Clinic in Sunland Park, NM gave me all the information to obtain my CDA and RDA and start working with them. After I told Ms. Dickenson the above, she said that she was sorry, but there was nothing she could do.
I left her office with one of the greatest frustrations of my life because I studied for one long year, something that I had already studied and have plenty of experience and knowledge in, but above all for having trusted in the word of a someone that I thought was an integral and professional person based on the simple fact that shes part of the community college, and the Director of the Dental Assistant Program and the personal assistant of the Dental Hygienist Program Director, Dr. Hekval. Unfortunately, my case is not the only one; there was another student in the current Dental Assistant Program whose case is very similar to mine.
After talking to the Department Dean, the El Paso Community College Vice President and the President; I understand why Ms. Dickenson misled me and gave me fraudulent information about entering the Dental Hygienist Program. And it is because if she does not have enough students in her class, then the class is cancelled. I believe that this is an abuse of her authority and position. She does not have the best interest of the students at heart and only thinks of what best benefits for her and her position at El Paso Community College. I am also aware of past students that Ms. Dickenson has misled/misinformed to fill her Dental Assistant Program slots. I hope that with the information above and below you can help bring an end to this abuse of position and authority by this unethical EPCC employee.
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