Ana Valeria Lopez, an Army spouse at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, recently graduated from the dental assistant training program provided through a partnership between the American Red Cross and the military. And that makes her happy.

“With my passion for dentistry, this program offers a wonderful way to kick start my career, especially as a military spouse, frequently on the move,” Ana said. “This program ensures that I can have a fulfilling career and employment regardless of my location.”

Now trained and certified, Ana dons a mask, gown and gloves and works in one of the military post’s dental clinics, assisting with such things as preparing the patient, being an extra set of hands for the Army dentist and taking X-rays and doing clerical work.

She was part of the recent graduation ceremony at the installation attended by Army and Red Cross officials. Joining them were some fifteen previous graduates of the program.

There were a lot of smiles and laughter as proud family members joined them to celebrate completion of their training, some even bringing bouquets of flowers.

“I loved the program because of the connections I had with peers and patients. I found my passion for dental work,” said Adrianna Guzman, another recent graduate.

“The six-month program at Fort Leonard Wood offers trained personnel for the dental services and provides a portable job skill that always is in demand,” said Jason Ramlow, Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces regional program manager.

Jason, who is working to restart a similar program at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, said the training is a combination of classroom and hands-on training to provide the education and clinical skills required to work at a military dental treatment facility. In some cases, the program can help prepare participants for state board certification.

Not only is the program open to military spouses, it also is available to retired military members or their spouses. There is no tuition so it’s a free education resulting in a certificate of completion that’s transferable between federal installations.

To join the program, the student must be at least eighteen-years-old, have a high school diploma or equivalent, possess a valid Department of Defense identification card and sign up as a Red Cross volunteer.

The program includes classroom instruction and clinical chair-side rotations with training coming from the dental staff. The Red Cross handles filling out the applications which then are given to the military for review and selection.

The program started in the mid-1970s at a military dental clinic at Nurnberg, Germany, where there was a need for additional dental staffing and readiness. The military and Red Cross worked together to develop a curriculum that has been updated over the years has been implemented at other military installations overseas and in the U.S.

“Red Cross is such an amazing program for a spouse like me that has been looking for a great career,” said graduate Norcel Harvey. “This program is such a great opportunity. I will be forever grateful for the Red Cross.”