Almost four and half months ago Jamie Meinelschmidt, a military spouse, embarked on a journey into dentistry. Meinelschmidt is one of ten students in the 2016 joint Red Cross Fort Stewart Dental Activity, Dental Assistant program.

"The experience has been very real," Meinelschmidt said. "I feel like a lot of what we're learning and doing is exactly what we will be doing once we finish the program. It's all been hands on, so I feel it's pretty real."

For the first half of the program Meinelschmidt and ten other Dental Assistant students participated in a rigorous training program with guidance from their instructors, Capt. Nazanin Ghazisharif, director of the Red Cross Dental Assistant Program, and Eva Quinn, co-director of the program.

"I think our students couldn't be better prepared," Ghazisharif said. "In my experience, they have seen all aspects of dentistry."

Everything the students have learned during the first half of the program is in preparation for working chair-side with patients during rotations with dental providers.

"It's good that we switch a lot and work with different doctors," Meinelschmidt said. "I feel like every doctor is unique. They all have their own personality, their own way of doing things, so I feel it gives us a lot of experience with different doctors because when we do graduate and go find a doctor, we already kind of know what to expect."

One of the most important aspects of this program is the self-assurance it builds within the students. Quinn, has seen a complete boost in Meinelschmidt's confidence since the start of the program.

"Jamie's really grown in her confidence and knowing the field that's being a dental assistant," Quinn said. "It's funny when she first started off; she was very nervous and scared, even though she knew her instruments."

"I feel like I've gained a lot of independence and just knowledge in general," Meinelschmidt said. "I've learned things even outside of dentistry, coming down to anesthesia we've learned so much about that, and how different ethnic backgrounds have harder times being put to sleep. I feel like my knowledge in the medical world has expanded throughout this program."

Meinelschmidt equates her continued success to the teaching methods and guidance she received from all of her instructors, but she holds a special appreciation for Ghazisharif's teaching techniques.

"She's been really great," Meinelschmidt said. "I think she's a very genuine person; she's a very good teacher, very thorough. She quizzes us a lot, which is really good because I feel like the knowledge sticks when she asks us what things mean."

"For the most part, I've realized my passion for teaching," Ghazisharif said. "In the past I've done some tutoring before, but I think just doing this, I realize that I really like the teaching part of dentistry."

This is Ghazisharif's first year as the director for the Red Cross Dental Assistant Program, and she couldn't be happier with the strength and resiliency of the students and the dental assistant program as a whole.

"I would love the opportunity to teach again next year and the year after," Ghazisharif said. "I really believe in this program. I like what it's doing for the military spouses, and I would love to stay a part of this program."

Since its inception, the Red Cross Dental Assistant training program has played a vital role in helping military spouses, such as Jamie Meinelschmidt, reach their goals of joining dentistry.