Longstanding relationship has helped prepare hundreds of graduates for the workforce
KANSAS CITY, Mo. and HENDERSON, Nev., June 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Concorde Career Colleges and PDS Health Foundation today announced a milestone in their longstanding relationship: $1 million in tuition assistance for Concorde students over the past 10 years through the Dr. Carolyn Ghazal Dental Assistant Scholarship program. Together, the organizations are helping strengthen the future oral health workforce and expanding access to career opportunities for aspiring dental assistants.
"We are grateful to the PDS Health Foundation for their ongoing investment in our students. The ripple effect of this $1 million milestone reaches beyond our students and their families to the thousands of patients in local communities they will collectively see over the course of their careers," said Kevin Prehn, President of Concorde Career Colleges. "The phenomenal employer-educator partnerships like those we have with PDS Health and the PDS Health Foundation support Concorde's strong outcomes, including graduation, job placement and licensure pass rates. I'm excited for what we will accomplish together over the next decade."
Since its establishment in 2016, the PDS Health Foundation's Dr. Carolyn Ghazal Dental Assistant Scholarship program has invested over $2 million in dental assistant education through tuition assistance, mentorship and hands-on training with over 120 schools nationwide.
"The primary barrier for dental assistant students to complete their education and enter the field is financial," said Carli Casey, Executive Director of the PDS Health Foundation. "When we remove that barrier, students are given the time, space and opportunity to focus on becoming their best selves as they move into the next step of their careers. Reaching this milestone with Concorde reflects what can happen when organizations are truly aligned in supporting students and helping them succeed."
Concorde's relationship with PDS Health spans more than 20 years. What began with externship opportunities in California has grown into a longstanding collaboration focused on student mentorship, hands on learning experiences, workforce development and scholarship opportunities. Rooted in a shared commitment to clinical excellence and patient-centered care, their educator-employer partnership has helped prepare hundreds of dental assistant graduates for the workforce.
Over the past three years, PDS Health has supported an average of 109 Concorde students annually through externships. Approximately 60% of students who completed an externship at a PDS Health-supported practice were hired following program completion.
"Concorde students who complete externships in PDS Health practices have an edge because they have a strong foundation of clinical knowledge provided by Concorde faculty," said Rosalinda Olague, Director of School Relations and Dental Assistant Programs at PDS Health. "Our clinicians then help students build on that foundation through hands-on experience, patient interactions, proven technologies, and a collaborative environment focused on clinical excellence."
Ralph Villacorta, a Concorde-San Antonio graduate who received a Dr. Carolyn Ghazal Dental Assistant Scholarship in 2020, currently works as Specialty Lead Dental Assistant for PDS Health's Austin-San Antonio Region.
"Receiving the Dr. Carolyn Ghazal Dental Assistant Scholarship changed everything for me, both financially and emotionally. It was motivating because out of all the applicants, I was one of the few students who were selected to be scholars. It made me feel like I was doing great and was right where I was supposed to be," said Villacorta.
Following graduation, Villacorta joined PDS Health as a traveling orthodontic dental assistant and later participated in one of PDS Health's humanitarian trips to Guatemala while continuing his professional development.
"Concorde helped prepare me to enter the profession with confidence, and PDS Health continued to invest in my growth," said Villacorta. "Today, serving as a specialty lead dental assistant is something I'm incredibly proud of because it allows me to support patients while continuing to grow in my career."
About Concorde Career Colleges
Concorde Career Colleges, the healthcare division of Universal Technical Institute, Inc. (NYSE: UTI), is committed to preparing tomorrow's health care professionals for rewarding, in-demand careers in nursing, dental, respiratory, diagnostic, and allied health. Through strategic partnerships, Concorde provides meaningful workforce solutions for some of the nation's leading dental and healthcare systems. Concorde operates 18 campuses across eight states and online under the brands Concorde Career College and Concorde Career Institute, which are accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges, and the Council on Occupational Education. For more information, visit LinkedIn at @Concorde Career Colleges, or on or X at @ConcordeCareer.
About PDS Health Foundation
The PDS Health Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization whose mission is to improve overall health through opportunities to serve locally, nationally and internationally. The PDS Health Foundation provides tools and resources to help build a lasting and sustainable impact on the communities it serves as well as on the volunteers who freely give their time. The vision of the PDS Health Foundation is a world where everyone has a heart to serve and a home for oral health. Through its three main programs: special needs dentistry, dental assistant scholarships and international service trips, the PDS Health Foundation has been able to increase access to oral healthcare for communities across the globe. For more information, visit pdsfoundation.org.
About PDS Health
PDS Health® continues the journey started by Pacific Dental Services® in 1994, with a vision to redefine health care through the integration of dental and medical services. Its approach, centered on the connection between oral health and overall health, aims to create healthier, happier patients and set new benchmarks in the healthcare industry. As a leading provider of integrated healthcare support, the company delivers a broad spectrum of services to dental, dental specialties, and medical providers, enhancing operations and care delivery for clinicians across the U.S. For more information about PDS Health and its vision, visit pdshealth.com.
Media Contact:
Sharon Rolenc
srolenc@uti.edu
612-720-2083
SOURCE Concorde Career Colleges
