| The students in the first class of the CHC/SEK Pediatric Dental Assistant program completed their 12-week training. To address the growing need for pediatric dental assistants, CHC/SEK launched a new, innovative education program where students are paid hourly while they train for a new career. The students, Ashlyn Hennen, Kortni Marquardt, and Kamri Taylor had in-classroom learning, exams, competency checkoffs, and hands-on experience. The students learned dental assistant skills and earned certifications in dental radiology, medical gas sedation, CPR, and basic life support (BLS). “When I hear the students talk to other members of the dental team on the clinic floor and use correct dental terminology and understand the ‘why’ behind what we do every day in dental, I am so proud how far they have come in such a short amount of time,” says Cindy Smith, Director of Dental Support Services. Cindy led the dental classes with Dental Hygienist\Educator LeighAnn Martin and Pediatric Dental Assistant Robyn Buckle who taught in clinic. |
Ashlyn joined the training program because it was an “opportunity” that was too good to pass up. “I had been looking for a way to further my education while working, and this has worked out excellently,” she says.
It has inspired her to further her education even more, with plans of getting a dental assistant certification or going to hygiene school.
The hands-on experience was particularly enlightening.
“I enjoyed learning about all of the different possibilities you can do as a dental assistant, and I also loved the hands-on portion and being in clinic,” her classmate Kortni says. “I am looking forward to working as a team with everyone and solidifying my knowledge and skill as well as assisting in ops, in-office sedation and hospital cases” If you or someone you know is interested in the pediatric dental assistant program through CHC/SEK, the application is available online. The deadline to submit applications is April 3. Applicants for the Pediatric Dental Assistant program will be accepted through an application and interview process. The course begins June 5 at no cost to the students if they agree to employment with CHC/SEK after completing the program. For more information about the CHC/SEK Pediatric Dental Assistant program, contact Reta Baker in the Health Education department at 620-240-5078
