Through the Northern Marianas College’s Area Health Education Center (AHEC), 15 trainees completed the Penn Foster Dental Assistant Program, a curriculum designed to prepare students for a career in dental assisting.
Over the past three months, trainees were able to complete 10 courses and 16 exams that covered a wide range of essential topics such as dental anatomy, materials, radiology, infection control, chairside assisting, pharmacology, ethics, and more.
NMC sophomore and dental assistant trainee, Kinamarie Dela Cruz, expressed her interest in the dental field and how it led to her decision to enroll in the Dental Assistant Program.
“I saw this program as a great way to start and begin my learning process into a possible career path for me,” she said. “After receiving my certificate I want to find opportunities in which I can gain more experience working as a dental assistant, as well as applying the knowledge I’ve gained through this program.”
Marian E. Miranda, a second-year NMC student and dental assistant trainee, shared her experience going through the Penn Foster Dental Program, “At first, I genuinely did not expect to be able to participate in this program given that admission was selective, but I am grateful to have been one of the selected students to join this summer’s cohort! With the certification provided after completing this program, I plan to delve into exploring a career in dental assisting here in the CNMI,” she said.
Erica Davis, Deputy Director of Hawaii/Pacific Basin Area Health Education Center, expresses, “We're thrilled to have partnered with the Northern Marianas College to offer this dental assistant program to local students. The dedication and hard work of the trainees are truly inspiring, and we're confident they are well-prepared to embark on successful careers in dental assisting.”
For more information on the Penn Foster Dental Assistant Training Program, contact the NMC Area Health Education Center at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..