59th TRG dental assistant earns ADAA excellence award Published April 18, 2016 59th Medical Wing JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas -- For Tech. Sgt. Christy Nixon, training dental assistants is about more than simply teaching skills; it’s about educating others on the importance of oral health. Nixon’s role as a dental assisting technical training instructor with the 59th Training Group on Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston allows her to prepare future dental assistants for their role in the Air Force and wherever their careers may take them. “As a child, I never understood the importance of oral health,” said Nixon. “Many people are unaware of how neglecting their oral health can have an impact on their overall health. I am very passionate about helping others, so being able to enlighten them on how to take care of their teeth gives me a sense of accomplishment.” Nixon’s impressive career has included earning a bachelor’s degree in accounting and management information systems in 2003, an associate degree in applied sciences in 2005, and a master’s degree in business administration in 2011. In 2004 she entered the Air Force, where she is currently fulfilling a special duty assignment as a dental assisting instructor and as an Air Force delegate for the American Dental Assistants Association. This work led to Nixon receiving the 2015 ADAA/Schein President’s Award of Excellence. “I was very surprised when I won the award,” she said. “Competing against the most talented dental assistants across the country has been a humbling experience. This award is a huge deal and I feel extremely blessed.” Winning the award has also impacted Nixon’s role as an educator. “The thing that makes me the most proud in my career is when I see the lightbulb go on as my students learn,” she said. “Since winning this award, I’ve also been able to share the experience to inspire my students to reach for the same goals. It shows them that there is more to being a dental assistant.” Nixon earned Dental Assisting National Board CDA certification in 2013. “I decided to pursue CDA certification because I wanted to take my career to the next level,” she said. “Earning this certification gives me more credibility when I am teaching my students. And, when I go back to my clinical duties, I will be viewed as an expert because of my credentials.” In addition to educating her students on the importance of oral health, Nixon also stresses the importance of earning DANB certification. “My advice for up-and-coming dental assistants is to invest the time into earning CDA certification,” she said. “Not only will it make them more marketable when job searching, but the knowledge they gain makes them better assistants.” “Being involved in improving others’ oral health is a very rewarding endeavor,” she continues. “It gives me great satisfaction to make people want to smile!”