Dental Assisting Program Director Colleen Baker Brings Hands-On Experience to LSCO Classroom

---

Dental Assisting Program Director, Colleen Baker, holds six years of experience in the dental space and eight years as an instructor at Lamar State College Orange (LSCO). She is motivated by sharing her own real-world knowledge with her students and seeing them excel in their professional careers.

Baker is an LSCO alumna, where she earned both her Dental Assisting Certificate and Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Dental Assisting. Her coursework and clinical experience equipped her with the skills necessary to succeed in her professional career, and she was hired as a dental assistant by the office of her first clinical rotation.

She held her position as a dental assistant for three years before moving into a specialist position at an orthodontic office. She spent another three years there before coming to LSCO as an adjunct instructor. Baker excelled in her role and was promoted to Dental Assisting Program Director within the year. One of her favorite aspects of her current role is breaking the barrier between students and administrators as she simultaneously teaches courses while performing duties as a director.  

“I am performing tasks as a director, but I am also inside the classroom with the students,” Baker said. “I love getting to build relationships with the students and breaking the barrier between being an administrator and an instructor.”

As an instructor, Baker values forming relationships with her students. She prefers to structure her classes less as strict lectures and more as informative, productive discussions. She maintains a relaxed environment in the classroom by inviting an open dialogue during lessons and prompting her students to ask questions frequently. As they transition from the classroom into clinical rotations, she upholds a more strict, professional demeanor to best prepare them for stepping into real-world situations.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of leading the Dental Assisting program for Baker is participating in National Children’s Dental Health Month activities with her students. Students in the program are invited to go into various schools and daycares in the area to promote dental hygiene practices. Students create and perform a skit, hand out toothbrushes, toothpaste, and floss, and teach the participants how to properly take care of their oral hygiene.

“Our students love participating in National Children’s Dental Health Awareness Month,” Baker said. “They put a lot of hard work and effort into it, and it’s a lot of fun for all of us.”

Colleen Baker is a dedicated educator with a love for dental assisting. She enjoys helping students realize their potential and find passion in their collegiate and professional careers.