Dental Assisting Students Complete NWF State College Program
2011-12 Dental Assisting program graduates
8/16/2012
Northwest Florida State College recently recognized students who successfully completed the college's vocational certificate program in Dental Assisting during the 2011-12 academic year at a pinning ceremony held August 3.
Mary Thomas, the Dental Assisting program director, noted at the ceremony that the NWF State College graduates are now certified for Dental Assisting throughout the state of Florida including Radiography Certification and other expanded functions. Graduates are also eligible to take the National Board Exam to be eligible for jobs nationwide.
Dental Assisting graduates include:
Crestview: Nicki Bolton, Carrie Harper
DeFuniak Springs: Kristina Lynn
Fort Walton Beach: Monique Clay, Julija Celovalnova, Sonklin Craghead, Brandi Lee
Holt: Kacy Edwards
Mary Esther: Kristen Komm, Nicole Smith
Navarre: Siobhan Simeone
Niceville: Brianna Allen, Deanna Faulkner
At the event, Dental Assisting students surprised Thomas by recognizing her impending retirement with a small ceremony of their own. Thomas has had a significant role in shaping the lives of Dental Assistants for a number of years as she has led the NWFSC Dental program since its inception in 2002. She also led the college's dental assisting education efforts when the college hosted a joint program with Gulf Coast Community College prior to the establishment of a stand-alone dental program. To pay tribute to Thomas's leadership and to thank her for all she has done, alumni from each of the program's 10 graduating classes returned to share in her final pinning ceremony (photo attached).
"Mary Thomas will be greatly missed," remarked Dr. Brian Shonk, the Dean of Career and Technical Education at the college. "She has been a tremendous person to work with, and a driving force behind the success of this program."
Thomas, who is retiring after 10 years at the college, thanked everyone for their encouragement and dedication. "But the real reason we're here today is to celebrate these graduates," Thomas noted. "Congratulations, class of 2012."