EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — The Hunt School of Dental Medicine welcomed its class of 2030 during Texas Tech Health El Paso’s annual White Coat Ceremony, marking the beginning of the journeys of 60 students into the dental profession.

The ceremony includes a pledge to care for patients across the Borderplex as they work to expand access to oral health care in the region.

According to Texas Tech Health El Paso officials, students “will benefit from one of the most innovative approaches to dental education in the United States.” With an early emphasis on hands-on education, students begin treating patients during their first semester.

Throughout their time at the Hunt School of Dental Medicine, students will also learn about the health care needs of the Borderplex through a community immersion program and develop valuable communication skills through Texas Tech Health El Paso’s Spanish-language courses.

Several of the 60 students who participated in the ceremony are from El Paso, giving them firsthand connections to the communities they will serve. Among them is Raymondo Aragonez, who hopes to one day give back to the community where he grew up.

“I’m looking forward to not only learning more about dentistry but also being able to build up personal skills and getting to work with a patient, especially here in the community,” Aragonez said.

As a first-generation student, Aragonez hopes to be an advocate for quality dental care in El Paso.

“Their experiences mirror the realities many patients face in our region, such as difficulty accessing quality dental care due to cost, transportation, and availability of providers,” Texas Tech Health El Paso officials stated. “The new class of students will be trained to meet these challenges and improve oral health for families throughout the Borderplex.”

For Aragonez and his classmates, the White Coat Ceremony represents their training and their opportunity to prepare for a career serving the dental needs of the Borderplex community.

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