STUDENT groups of the College of Dentistry of University of the East submitted a petition letter demanding school officials to address issues and concerns raised by learners.

In a letter addressed to Dean Rhodora Luciano, the UE Dentistry Student Council demanded the university to disclose the tuition allocation for the second semester of Academic Year 2020-2021 amid the implementation of online clinics.

UE-DSC said the administration must waive the clinical fees, stressing the students are providing their own resources such as utilities, dental equipment, and facilities.

“Students will provide their own resources such as utilities (electricity, water, and internet connection), dental equipment (Portable High-speed with compressor, Dental simulators with table clamp, etc.), and facilities. The students demand to see where the fee is allocated,” UE-DSC said in a statement.

The student body also called on the university to move the start of classes and online clinics, as well as extend the last day of clinics to provide more logs to all clinicians.

UE-DSC pointed out the college academic council announced the implementation of online clinics for the second semester only two days prior to the start of enrollment period, which caused distress among students and their parents.

“This sudden announcement caused distress among parents and students since there are a lot of factors to be considered in a short amount of time. Some clinicians are also currently in their own provinces which require them to get their own delivered in Metro Manila,” UE-DSC said.

UE-DSC reiterated the ‘quota system’ for clinical hours must be removed, stressing the number of clinical supervisors per department and the accommodation of students per clinical supervisor is not sufficient.

Furthermore, the student body urged the university to offer Clinical Dentistry without units, and give ‘lack of final requirements’ marks instead of failing grades to clinicians who would not be able to reach the adjusted quota at the end of the semester due to the limitations of online clinic setting.

“Given all the concerns and suggestions raised by the students through the Dentistry Student Council, which is true to its virtue to uphold the rights and welfare of the students, we would like to request your good office for an immediate action addressing the aforementioned concerns, issues and sentiments vital for this upcoming second semester of A.Y. 2020-2021,” it said.