She is standing just outside the operatory, already wearing her gloves. That is the first thing I notice. Gloves go on last, but hers have been on for nearly ten minutes. The patient is already seated. Everything she is about to do has been practiced repeatedly on a typodont, at a stationary bench where nothing unexpected ever happened and nobody asked her a question. When Marina Davar built and ran the dental assisting program at Beckfield College, she spent countless hours

A physician once asked me why anyone believed the practice had an access problem when his report showed full rooms and a completely booked schedule. At the same time, the person answering the phone was telling a new patient that the first available appointment was six weeks away. The schedule looked successful from one perspective and inaccessible from another. That disconnect changed how I look at access. As a practice manager of a large medical practice in Cincinnati, I rev

Launching a dental assisting education program involves much more than securing classroom space and hiring instructors. A successful program needs a clear purpose, practical curriculum, appropriate clinical resources, qualified educators, and systems that demonstrate students are developing the skills required for professional practice. The most effective approach is to treat every part of the program as connected. Curriculum, facilities, faculty, clinical experiences, assess

Marina Davar has specialized expertise in developing and leading dental education programs, including her role as Dean of Dental Studies at Beckfield College. Her knowledge encompasses curriculum architecture, course sequencing, clinical and laboratory requirements, faculty development, assessment systems, accreditation processes and workforce alignment. She understands the importance of connecting classroom instruction with practical clinical competencies and employer expect