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A Smile Changes Everything

The first time Doga knew she was interested in pursuing a career in dentistry was after her first dental treatment in the U.S., as dental care was not always available in her country. In middle school Doga was able to get braces and her new smile made her confidence skyrocket. Her goal is to help others gain that same sense of confidence that her dentist gave her, as a person's smile is one of the first things that you see.

Doga was awarded the Dr. Carolyn Ghazal Dental Assistant Scholarship in March 2021 and started her career as a dental assistant soon after.

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International Dental Education

On May 16th our PDS Foundation Clinica Dental team in Guatemala kicked off a four week education program. Each week they will designate their Monday mornings to invite students from different schools in for free dental cleanings and fluoride varnish. They will then travel to a different school once a week to provide oral health education.

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Growing up in Ghana, one of Mavis’ family members struggled with a very serious disease caused by poor oral health. Watching them struggle has been something that has stuck with Mavis her entire life. She decided to pursue a career in dentistry so that she could serve others and stop their pain. Moving to the U.S. was very difficult for Mavis, but it has brought so many opportunities that have changed her life.

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Daja was inspired at a young age to become a dental assistant, so that she could help others achieve proper oral healthcare. As Daja begins her journey in the dental field she is eager to transform not only her patient's smiles but also their live

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Fasika Altasseb, recent scholarship recipient shared her gratitude after being awarded this $5,000 scholarship. Fasika grew up in Ethiopia and came to the U.S. after high school. Throughout her childhood she visited the dentist often and was inspired by her childhood dentist to pursue a career in the field.

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Tsholofelo Alfred, dental assisting student at Concorde Career College in Orlando, Florida was awarded the Dr. Carolyn Ghazal Scholarship in December 2020. Tsholofelo grew up in Botswana and often saw people struggling to afford healthcare, let alone prioritize taking care of their oral health. She is passionate about serving her community and increasing access to care.

"I've learned that fear limits you and your vision...believing in your talents, your abilities and your self-worth can empower you to walk down an even brighter path."

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Recognizing the  importance  of dental  assistants  to the  future  of dentistry,  the Pacific Dental Services® (PDS®) Foundation created the Dr. Carolyn Ghazal Dental Assistant Scholarship to provide DA students with need-based financial aid, mentorship, and on the job training. Named after Dr. Carolyn Ghazal, Chair of Associate Dentist Development at PDS University™ –Institute of Dentistry, the scholarship aims to mold the next generation of passionate, servant-hearted, dental assistant leaders.

Last year thirty nine dental assistant students were awarded the PDS Foundation Scholarship including Juvanie Bonnick, student at Atlantic Technical College.

“Receiving the scholarship meant a great deal to me, I was overjoyed! It gave me a sense of momentum to power through DA school,” said Bonnick.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there should be 64,600 new openings for dental assistants by the year 2026. That amounts to 19.5 percent employment growth, which is much faster than the average for all occupations.

“Dental assisting is a vast world of opportunities that is constantly evolving! Not only that, but it is also a world dedicated to bringing back and maintaining the brightest smiles. I’ve seen how much a healthy smile can change and impact the life of someone and I want to be in that line of work,” said Bonnick.

After completing his externship and graduating from Atlantic Technical College, Bonnick hopes to work as a dental assistant while continuing his education to become a dental hygienist.

Through this scholarship, the Foundation provides students the opportunity to go to school and experience an education with an end goal in mind without worrying about the financial burden. Education in turn instills confidence and hope for a successful future, greatly impacting the lives of these students.

“My advice to other DA students starting their journey would be that if you’re confident that this is the field you want to be in then give it your all. Pursue it to the end because I believe that this field embodies the phrase ‘the sky is the limit.’ The opportunity for growth and development is there,” said Bonnick.

Congratulations to all thirty nine scholarship recipients awarded in 2020 who showed passion for the field and serving others.

Are you a dental assistant student looking for financial aid, mentorship and on the job training? Apply before February 1st at www.pdsfoundation.org/programs/scholarships

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PDS Foundation Year In Review

Throughout 2020, we have been able to positively impact the lives of patients with special needs who have never been able to find care before visiting Dentists for Special Needs.

In the first annual Stroll for Special Needs virtual 5k supporting Dentists for Special Needs, we received over $107,700 in contributions. With Pacific Dental Services matching $80,000, over $187,700 was raised for the PDS Foundation Dentists for Special Needs office! Your generous support helps patients with special needs find a home for oral healthcare.

Since 2016, we have awarded 79 scholarships to dental assistant students across the country providing them financial assistance and mentorship as they become the next generation of servant-hearted dental assistant leaders.

Although we weren’t able to serve on the mobile dental clinic or visit the communities of Fiji, Guatemala and Ethiopia we hope these programs will return next year!

Thank you again for your support!

Kyle Guerin, Executive Director 

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The Impact of Dental Assistants on Patient Care

Having spent over 15 years in healthcare I have met so many amazing people. People willing to go above and beyond to serve others. Many of these amazing people are dental assistants. Dental assistants are usually the first point of clinical contact for patients and make a big impact on the patient experience. DAs are key to creating increased access to oral healthcare and #HealthierHappierPatients. The journeys they have been on and the stories that they tell are both fascinating and inspiring. Today I want to share a story from Aida Navarro a dental assistant at the PDS Foundation Dentist for Special Needs Clinic in Phoenix, AZ.

My name is Aida Navarro and I have been a dental assistant for 15 years. I attended school in California at ROP. I ended up going into dental assisting because I have always been interested in dentistry and working with and helping people. Being able to do these things has made dental assisting the perfect fit. The close interaction with patients as well as the diversity in all of the procedures we do has kept it fresh and always interesting. There is always something new to learn with dentistry especially in the world of special needs dentistry.

Serving patients with special needs has enriched my life in so many ways. Each person is a unique individual and needs individualized care. With this patient population, it’s the little things that matter. The way we say things, the reassurance, the empathy to parents and caretakers it all matters. I see big and small victories with my patients and it’s inspiring. We have patients that maybe had never been able to get an exam, x-rays, or a cleaning and when we can make that happen and we see the smile on the patient's face and the parent's face it makes it all worth it. Every day has its challenges and opportunities, but I love it.

This year has brought on other challenges especially with COVID-19. It’s affected everyone especially our patients. Many special needs patients are medically compromised so it is imperative that we are aware of all pre-existing conditions and as a team, we discuss these issues. Through this pandemic, we have been able to reassure our patients that dentistry is safe, and we are going to take great care of them. Knowing that my patients trust me is very important.

Caring for my patients is #1 which makes dental assisting a very rewarding career.  There are a lot of opportunities for dental assistants. You can go into pediatrics, orthodontics, endodontics, oral surgery, get your extended functions, become a hygienist, or take the road less traveled and serve patients with special needs.

It’s all about finding your passion, giving it your best every day, reaching for your goals, and making a difference in the lives of others. I’m thankful every day for my job as a dental assistant.

We’re honored to have Aida on our team at the Dentists for Special Needs clinic and we can’t wait to see all that she does to improve overall health by improving oral health and provide a dental home to those who don’t have one. For more information on the dentists for special needs clinic visit us at www.dentistsforspecialneeds.com

Are you a current dental assistant student pursuing a fulfilling career as a DA? Apply for the PDS Foundation Dental Assistant Scholarship before November 1st at https://www.pdsfoundation.org/programs/scholarships/

Kyle Guerin, Executive Director, PDS Foundation

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Dental Residency Program

At the PDS Foundation Dentists for Special Needs clinic we are honored to have recently partnered with NYU Langone Dental Medicine to launch a post-doctoral pediatric residency program to provide increased education to those going into pediatric dentistry. This partnership helps to accomplish three things.

1.      Getting more dentists, the confidence to see patients with special needs. We have 8 clinicians spending a week a month until the end of June. The cases they see and the lives they will touch will be incredible. You can’t learn this in books. It’s the hands-on learning that allows dentists to get the confidence they need.

2.      It’s 8 more dentists that will be willing to see patients with special needs. At only 10 percent of the population willing to see special needs patients every little bit helps. You must start somewhere, and this is where we’ve put a stake in the ground to make a difference.

3.      It’s the start of something special. When we opened the special needs clinic in March of 2019 we started with the mantra as the start of something special and hoped that this would be the epicenter of something much bigger. This educational piece will lead to more clinicians hearing about the clinic and wanting to come in and spend time with us learning and serving this much needed patient population. 

Kyle Guerin, Executive Director of The PDS Foundation