Learning How to Succeed: Despite Learning Disabilities, Mendoza Sisters Find Carrington’s Supportive Environment Encourages Success
Learning and supporting each other is in the family genes of Jackie and Bridgett Mendoza. Their Mexican-born parents created and raised a very “tight” family. Their whole family – mother, father, a brother and a baby sister – all moved to Portland together from Prescott, Arizona in 2020. Jackie, the oldest at 25, and a […]
Building Confidence with a Smile: Faculty Member Anna Walton Travels to Honduras to Change Lives with Dentistry
Before joining the Carrington Boise campus as a faculty member, Anna Walton was a Dental Assistant for ten years. The last five years she worked in the dental practice of Dr. Blake Bybee in Boise, Idaho. Dr. Bybee has dedicated much of his time to a charitable organization called Smiles for America, which organizes volunteer […]
After 13 Years as a Dental Assistant, Instructor Kerri Morris Prepares Spokane Students to Pursue a Career She Loves
The people who have the greatest impact on our lives aren’t always positive role models. Sometimes, those we remember most are the people who showed us who, what, or how we didn’t want to be. That was certainly true for Kerri Morris. “When I was seven or eight years old, the assistant in my dentist’s […]
For Portland Dental Assisting Grad Alexis Casarez, Scoring a $5,000 Scholarship Made a Great College Experience Even Better
There are Zoom video calls, and there are great Zoom video calls. Alexis Casarez, who completed her Dental Assisting program at Carrington’s Portland, Oregon campus in April, knows the difference. When she was invited to log on to a Zoom video call one morning in March, a month before graduation, Alexis was surprised to learn […]
How Dental Assisting Student, Jose Pena, Found Happiness by Brushing His Teeth
From elementary to high school, Jose Pena would take his toothbrush to school every day. At the risk of being made fun of, he ignored the teasing from classmates and showed from early age confidence that came from taking care of something he was very proud of: his beautiful set of strong teeth. He loved […]
Back Where She Started: Seven Years Later, Dental Assisting Grad Santana Naha Returns to Mesa Campus to Teach Classes she Once Attended
Never say never. When Santana Naha completed Carrington’s Dental Assisting program in 2015, the thought of returning to the Mesa, Arizona campus as an instructor isn’t something that ever crossed her mind. But that’s exactly what happened. After a seven-year career that included positions as a sterilization lab technician, orthodontic and pediatric dental assistant, college […]
Full Circle: Carrington Grad Katy O’Hara Returns to Teach and Direct Dental Assisting Program She Once Attended
When Katy O’Hara graduated from Carrington’s Dental Assisting program in Phoenix in 2014, she had no idea her career path would eventually lead her back into the classroom at another Carrington campus. “But that’s exactly how it worked out,” says Katy, who began teaching part-time in the Dental Assisting program on Carrington’s Mesa, Arizona campus […]
For My Kids, For Myself. Dental Assistant Graduate, Shante Halilovic, Shares her Story!
Shante Halilovic was the first one in her family to complete high school – and now college as well, as a graduate from the Carrington College Dental Assisting Program in January 2022. Shante was born in California, raised by her father, who moved her at the age of eight to Boise, Idaho in an effort […]
What to Know About Working in a Dental Office
Updated: March 12, 2026 We’ve all sat in the dentist’s chair at least once, but what is working in a dental office like? The dental field offers a fast-paced, hands-on environment that many find professionally fulfilling. If you’re exploring a career in dental assisting or dental hygiene, understanding the day-to-day experience can help you decide […]
Kid Tooth Tips: Baby vs. Adult Teeth
Maybe you’ve got a little one whose mouth has turned into a faucet from all that drool, or maybe your kiddo is awaiting his or her first visit from the Tooth Fairy. Either way, it’s time to get the scoop on those teeth. Want to know the drill on baby versus adult teeth? Then look […]
Everything You Need to Know About a Dental Assisting Externship
The real world can be the best classroom. That’s why finding an externship is a critical part of your education. Carrington College has strong relationships with dental facilities across the western United States. Our Career Services Team works with students to help find that perfect fit. An externship is a temporary job that allows you […]
All About the Tooth Fairy
Parents, the times have changed – a single quarter under your kid’s pillow just isn’t going to cut it anymore. You need to stay on top of the trends. Otherwise, little Jessie might start thinking the Tooth Fairy is a total cheapskate.