Fort Sill Dental Command and the American Red Cross are accepting applications for the spring Dental Assistant Training Program, a free, in-depth certification course that provides hands-on experience at the installation’s dental clinics.

This is the first dental assistant program offered at Fort Sill in several years after a pause for the COVID-19 pandemic. Applications are available through Jan. 20 at the Reynolds Clinic Red Cross Office (south side) at 4301 Wilson Street, Fort Sill, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to noon. All applications are due by noon on Jan. 20.

Applicants must be a U.S. citizen at least 18 years old, have graduated high school or earned their GED, possess a military ID card, and have at least one year left at Fort Sill. They will need to pass a background check, military security clearance and physical screening, and they will need to have required immunizations. Applicants will be interviewed Jan. 25 and 26, and those accepted for the program will be notified Jan. 27. The program will start in late February and run through mid-June.

The program includes hundreds of hours of dental training alongside dentists and medical staff, and students assist with chairside procedures before graduating. By the end of the roughly four-month course, students are qualified to serve as dental assistants in any military or civilian dental clinic.

The Red Cross helps members of the military, veterans, their families and caregivers cope with the challenges of service.

“We want the whole family to know the Red Cross is there for them during their service,” said Kim O’Brien, Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces Regional Manager at Fort Sill. “Military life often means moving states and sometimes countries every few years. This means finding a new home and new schools for children, which can be difficult, but finding a new job for the service member’s spouse can be the most challenging part of relocating.”

Military spouses have historically faced high rates of unemployment, and for the past decade, unemployment rates for spouses have been around 24%, a number far greater than their civilian counterparts.

Kaitlynne Miller is a recent success story from one dental assistant cohort in the Kansas-Oklahoma region. Miller says joining this Red Cross program helped her find purpose during a challenging transition after moving to Fort Riley last May. “I wasn’t sure what I was going to do or what path I was on,” she said.

“At first, I was excited that the program helped me make friends and get me out of the house but soon it became more. You learn new skills every single day. And then, you become so fluent in it, you’re like ‘I can do this for the rest of my life!’” Miller said.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.