To meet growing demand in the region, Salina Tech has started to offer a Phlebotomy Technician class.

According to the school, the first class starts July 8, and is may become a regular summer class.

The Phlebotomy Technician class is taught through the Dental Assisting Department, but is considered a free-standing class, and a person does NOT have to be a Dental Assistant to enroll, said Brooke Horner, Director of Dental Education.

She explained that dental offices in the region are adopting a new gum grafting technique that makes use of an extract from the patient’s blood, and that requires someone in the office trained in Phlebotomy to draw the blood.

But students are not required to be Dental Assistants to enroll in the class, and there are no other pre-requisites.

Students who complete the class and pass the certification exam from the National Healthcareer Association will be Certified Phlebotomists.

The class is 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays from July 8 to August 6. Course cost is $984, including the certification exam fee.

For more information or to enroll, contact Salina Tech at 785-309-3100 or visit salinatech.edu.