About DANB
Our Mission and History
We are the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB). Our mission is to promote the public good by providing credentialing services to the dental community. We accomplish and measure the success of this mission through the creation of valid dental assisting exams; recertification requirement integrity; and valuable, visible and accessible DANB exams, certificates and certifications.
We have a
long and interesting history that traces back to 1948, when the American
Dental Assistants Association (ADAA) identified the need for dental
assistant certification and founded the Certifying Board of the American
Dental Assistants Association. In 1978, the Certifying Board became a
separately incorporated organization and, in 1980, changed its name to
the Dental Assisting National Board.
Today, DANB is
recognized by the American Dental Association as the national
certification board for dental assistants. More than 34,000 dental
assistants hold DANB certification, and each year, DANB issues nearly
50,000 certificates to those who pass its national and state exams.
DANB founded the Dental Advancement through Learning and Education (DALE) Foundation in 2010 as its official education and research affiliate. The DALE Foundation offers interactive online educational courses and resources to advance the dental team and help dental professionals prepare for DANB exams.
Our Values
At DANB and the DALE Foundation, we believe dental assistants are at the heart of the dental office and give everyone something to smile about!
Service. We actively support current and prospective dental assistants through equitable and inclusive engagement, for example through our testing procedures and certification requirements.
Respect. We acknowledge and consider the inherent worth and dignity of all individuals.
Integrity. We adhere to moral and ethical principles, demonstrating honesty, sincerity, and consistency in actions and decisions.
Inclusion.
We ensure all individuals, regardless of differences or backgrounds, are fully engaged and valued members of a community or organization.
Teamwork. We are committed to working together toward a common goal, leveraging each other’s strengths.
Our Commitment
We support the development and advancement of a diverse dental workforce by removing barriers in our policies, programs, and products. We are committed to engaging a variety of perspectives in our workplace and governance to further foster an equitable and inclusive environment for current and aspiring dental assistants.
Our Accreditation and Impartiality
DANB’s CDA and COA certification programs are accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). This demonstrates DANB’s compliance with the standards of excellence for professional certification programs. The NCCA is a commission of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence and provides accreditation for credentialing programs. DANB is also a member of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence.
DANB understands the importance of impartiality and potential conflicts of interests in carrying out its certification activities. Being impartial, and being perceived to be impartial, is necessary for DANB to be able to deliver credible certification programs that provide confidence to our candidates and certificants, the dental community, and the public. In order to obtain and maintain confidence, DANB will, at all times, be able to demonstrate that our decisions are based on objective evidence and that our decisions have not been improperly influenced by other interests or by other parties.
Board of Directors
Directors are nominated by the American Dental Assistants Association, American Dental Association, American Association of Dental Boards, American Dental Education Association, other DANB stakeholder organizations, and at-large DANB certificants. There is also one director who is a member of the public.
Chair: Kimberly Plate
Kimberly Plate, CDA, CPFDA, CRFDA, B.S., of Pingree Grove, Illinois, currently works as director of the dental assisting program at Elgin Community College (ECC). Ms. Plate previously worked as an ECC adjunct dental assisting faculty member from 1998 until assuming her director role there in 2004.
Additionally, Ms. Plate serves as an Accreditation Site Visitor/Consultant for the Commission on Dental Accreditation. She has nearly 40 years of dental assisting experience, specifically with working chairside, coordinating office infection prevention and control, and cross-training to fulfill office-management duties.
A longtime DANB certificant and ADAA member, Ms. Plate currently serves as a board member of the Illinois Dental Assistants Association, having previously served as its president-elect and past president. She has provided instrument sterilization oversight at past Illinois State Dental Society Mission of Mercy (MOM) dental events. She currently sits on the advisory committee of both the Visiting Nurse Association and Well Child Center in Elgin, and has volunteered with MOM, Cub Scouts, and school parent-teacher associations.
Ms. Plate holds a Bachelor of Science degree in healthcare leadership from National Louis University, plus an Associate of Arts degree as well as a vocational certificate in Clinical Dental Assisting from ECC.
Chair-Elect: Barbara Mousel
Barbara Mousel, D.D.S., CDA, RDH, of Chicago, has owned a private practice in general dentistry since 1984. Dr. Mousel also worked as an educator at the Sanford-Brown College Dental Hygiene program from 2013-2014 and previously has held the roles of dental hygienist and dental assistant.
Dr. Mousel earned Fellowship in the Academy of General Dentistry, and holds Fellowship in the International College of Dentists, Academy of Dentistry International, American College of Dentists, and Pierre Fauchard Academy. She is a member of the ADA and currently serves on the Council on Dental Education and Licensure and the Dental Education Committee. Dr. Mousel is a past president of the Illinois State Dental Society, American Association of Women Dentists (AAWD), Central Regional Dental Testing Service, and Chicago Dental Society Foundation, among other professional affiliations. In her career, Dr. Mousel has received numerous awards, including the 2000 Lucy Hobbs Taylor Award from the AAWD.
Dr. Mousel earned a Doctor of Dental Surgery in 1984 from Loyola University School of Dentistry and a Bachelor of Science in dental hygiene in 1979 from Loyola University of Chicago. She graduated in 1975 from City Colleges of Chicago with an associate of arts degree, with highest honors, and has held DANB’s Certified Dental Assistant certification since 1975.
Secretary-Treasurer: Meagan Mitchell
Meagan Mitchell, CDA, B.S., currently works as a surgical dental assistant with Oral Surgery Group in Evansville, Indiana, where she has been employed since 2014.
Ms. Mitchell is a past president of the Evansville Dental Assistants Society and the Indiana Dental Assistants Association. Previously, from 2016-2017, she served as president-elect for these organizations; she also served as the Evansville Dental Assistants Society’s vice president from 2015-2016.
She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Southern Indiana (USI). In 2015, Ms. Mitchell graduated from USI with an associate degree with a focus on dental assisting. Also in 2015, she earned DANB’s Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) certification.
Ms. Mitchell is qualified in Indiana to perform coronal polishing and expanded functions, and she successfully completed the Dental Anesthesia Assistant National Certification Examination offered through the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.
Immediate Past Chair: Janée Tamayo
Janée Tamayo, CDA, CPFDA, B.S., MSgt, USAF, of Honolulu, Hawaii, has worked as a dental assistant with the U.S. Air Force for more than 10 years. She has worked as an Air Force dental assistant in Tampa, Florida; Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Fayetteville, North Carolina. She is currently the Dental Flight Chief at the U.S. Air Force’s 43rd Medical Squadron. Her past roles have included Dental Flight Chief at Schriever Dental Clinic, Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of Records and Reception, Clinical Flight Chief, Executive Assistant to the Commander of the 21st Medical Group, and Dental Technician.
Ms. Tamayo earned an Associate of Applied Science degree in dental assisting from the Community College of the Air Force, and a Bachelor of Science degree in sports and exercise science from American Military University. She is currently working toward a Master of Public Administration from American Military University.
She also has received extensive professional recognition. In August 2020, Ms. Tamayo earned the Humanitarian Service Medal from the 21st Medical Squadron. She also has received the Distinguished Graduate and Academic Achievement Award from the Vosler Non-Commissioned Officer Academy (2019) and the Distinguished Graduate and Commandant’s Leadership Award from Peterson Airman Leadership School (2015). Additionally, in 2014, Ms. Tamayo was named Dental Airman of the Year by Air Force Dental Service, and in 2013, Airman of the Year by the 21st Space Wing.
Vicki Brett
Vicki L. Brett, CDA, RDH, B.S.D.H., is the prevention dental service coordinator for the Virginia Department of Health. Previously, Ms. Brett worked as campus director of Academic Affairs with ECPI University, where she was employed for approximately 14 years. She also worked in numerous aspects of dentistry, including serving as a dental hygienist, dental sales representative, and dental assisting program director and instructor.
In addition to her passion for education, volunteering has long been a labor of love for Ms. Brett. She is currently serving as the executive director and dental project chair of Montero Medical Missions, providing free dental visits to veterans and through missions abroad. She is the board chair for safety net, Park Place Dental Clinic. Ms. Brett also has been a Mission of Mercy volunteer chairperson since 2014.
Ms. Brett has received a Community of Excellence Award from ECPI University, completed the ECPI University Leadership Institute, and served on the Regulatory-Legislative Committee DAI and DAII for the Virginia Board of Dentistry. She is an active member of the American Dental Assistants Association, American Dental Hygienists’ Association, and Tidewater Dental Hygienists’ Association.
Ms. Brett earned DANB’s Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) certification in 2011. Additionally, she received a Bachelor of Science degree in dental hygiene from Old Dominion University (ODU) in Norfolk, Virginia. Ms. Brett also holds a certificate in dental assisting from ODU and an Associate of Science from Tidewater Community College in Portsmouth, Virginia.
Tanya Dorf Brunner
Tanya Dorf Brunner, M.S., of Topeka, Kansas, is the executive director of Oral Health Kansas, a consumer advocacy organization dedicated to improving oral health in Kansas through advocacy, public awareness, and education. The Oral Health Kansas team advocates for Medicaid dental benefits, educates Kansans about the importance of oral health, and promotes the benefits of community water fluoridation. Ms. Dorf Brunner recently led the organization to secure over $15 million in state funds to increase Medicaid dental rates and extend dental benefits to adults.
Ms. Dorf Brunner serves in a variety of volunteer roles focused on health equity and social justice. She is the co-founder and past chair of the American Network of Oral Health Coalitions, a national organization that supports the work of state oral health coalitions. Ms. Dorf Brunner previously served on the Board of Trustees of the Kansas Dental Charitable Foundation and works with the Oral Health Progress and Equity Network (OPEN) as a co-chair of its Advocacy Committee.
Ms. Dorf Brunner earned a Master of Science degree in management from Baker University and Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and philosophy from Bethany College.
Stephanie Bustos
Stephanie Bustos, CDA, CDIPC, RDA, of New Milford, New Jersey, has worked as a lead dental assistant for over five years. Her roles include lead assistant, lab technician (digital CAD/CAM), office trainer, OSHA coordinator, and clinical manager for Edgemont Dental Arts in Montclair, New Jersey. Her office was awarded gold for “Best of Essex” Readers Choice Award by Suburban Essex Magazine.
Ms. Bustos is passionate about inspiring others to actively shape their future to find happiness. Her decision to change careers to pursue a more fulfilling role as a dental assistant has led her to help advocate for dental assistants everywhere.
Ms. Bustos holds a certificate in dental assisting from Fortis Institute in Wayne, New Jersey. Through that CODA-accredited program, she completed her internship and externship, graduating in April 2021 and earning dean’s list recognition. She holds DANB’s Certified Dental Assistant certification and is a Registered Dental Assistant in the state of New Jersey. She is qualified to perform expanded functions. In addition, she earned Certified in Dental Infection Prevention and Control certification, developed by DANB in collaboration with the Association for Dental Safety (ADS), and is a member of ADS.
Kerri Friel
Kerri Friel, CDA, COA, RDH, M.A., of Warwick, Rhode Island, is a professor in the Dental Health Department at the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI), where she is the director of the dental assisting program and immediate past-president of the CCRI Faculty Senate. She is currently serving as vice president of the CCRI Faculty Association.
Throughout her career, Ms. Friel has helped advanced the dental profession through her leadership and volunteerism. She is a member of the American Dental Assistants Association and the Rhode Island Dental Assistants Association, of which she is a past president. She is also a member of the American Dental Education Association and a current board member of the Dental Lifeline Network Rhode Island. She previously served on the Rhode Island Board of Examiners in Dentistry and has held several roles with CDCA-WREB-CITA.
Ms. Friel received a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene and a master’s degree in adult education from the University of Rhode Island.
Sandra Garcia Young
Sandra L. Garcia Young, CDA, CDIPC, RDA, FADAA, FAADOM, of San Antonio, Texas, currently works as the Practice Administrator for CentroMed, one of Texas’s largest nonprofit Federally Qualified Health Centers. She has over 28 years of clinical experience and has worked in variety of specialties.
Ms. Garcia Young entered the Air Force in 1996 and completed the Dental Assistant Apprentice course at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas. From 2000–2006, Ms. Garcia Young served as a chairside assistant and worked with third-year dental students on four-handed dentistry at the University of Texas Health Science Center School of Dentistry, San Antonio. From 2006–2011, Ms. Garcia Young was the dental assisting program director at the Academy of Health Care Professions in San Antonio, Texas, where more than 300 students graduated from the dental assisting program during her tenure.
Ms. Garcia Young is a recipient of the Air Force Achievement Medal and was recognized as the 2015 Employee of the Quarter in the management category at CentroMed. She is a lifetime member of AADOM, as well as an active member of the American Dental Assistants Association, Association for Dental Safety, the National Network for Oral Health Access, and the Hispanic Dental Association.
Carlos Gaxiola
Carlos Gaxiola, CDIPC, RDA, RDHAP, RDH, has more than 15 years of experience in the dental field. He began his career as a dental assistant in a community health center working with underserved communities in California’s Central Coast. His passion for dentistry and serving others encouraged him to pursue a degree in dental hygiene.
Mr. Gaxiola has been the Clinical Operations/Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Manager at Kids Dental Brands in Scottsdale, Arizona, since January 2020. In this role, he performs compliance audits of clinical sites, among other duties. He continues to practice clinical dental hygiene part-time.
Mr. Gaxiola earned DANB’s Certified in Dental Infection Prevention and Control (CDIPC) certification in May 2022, and he is a member of the Association for Dental Safety.
Renee McNally
Renee McNally, CDA, COA, CPFDA, CRFDA, CDIPC, RDA (AMT), B.S., of Hagerstown, Maryland, is the clinic and compliance coordinator for Toothman Orthodontics, LLC, and she brings a wealth of experience as an orthodontic assistant.
Ms. McNally obtained a certificate in dental assisting from Everest Institute, where she was the dental assisting program valedictorian and a member of the National Technical Honors Society. She also received a Bachelor of Science degree in human biology from Michigan State University and an associate degree in general science/pre-dental from Delta College.
Demonstrating her commitment to dental assisting excellence, Ms. McNally holds numerous certifications and licenses and is a proud member of the American Dental Assistants Association and the Association for Dental Safety.
Frank Maggio
Frank Maggio, D.D.S., is a periodontist with a practice in Elgin, Illinois, a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois (UIC) Chicago College of Dentistry, Department of Periodontics, and a dental assisting faculty member at Elgin Community College. Dr. Maggio serves on the UIC Dental Alumni Board of Directors, formerly serving as its Past President.
Dr. Maggio has been a member of the ADA since 1971, and has served on numerous ADA committees, councils and task forces. He was an ADA Foundation Board member and was Chairman of the ADA Council on Dental Education and Licensure, along with being an ADA Trustee. He also has been President of the Illinois State Dental Society, Fox River Valley Dental Society and McHenry County Dental Society. Dr. Maggio has numerous professional affiliations including the American Association of Dental Boards, the American Dental Education Association, the American Academy of Periodontology, the Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental Honor Society, the American College of Dentists, the International College of Dentists, and the Pierre Fauchard Academy. He is Chairman of the Dental Lifeline Network and a former Board member of the Illinois Board of Professional Regulation.
Dr. Maggio graduated from Loyola University School of Dentistry with a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree; after completing military service in the U.S. Army, he earned his Certificate in Periodontics from the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry.
Kishan Patel
Kishan Patel, CDA, COA, CPFDA, CRFDA, of Spartanburg, South Carolina, is an Expanded Functions Dental Assistant and currently working with a private practice in Spartanburg, South Carolina; he is also a licensed phlebotomist in the state of South Carolina. Additionally, Mr. Patel holds a Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) from Ahmedabad Dental College and Hospital in Ahmedabad, India.
Mr. Patel has published two academic books and several research and review articles in various international dental journals including the European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine and SVOA Dentistry. He has a strong desire to serve the community with his active volunteer work. In May 2023, Mr. Patel served as a subject matter expert for DANB’s Job Task Analysis to help advance the dental assisting profession. He previously served as a volunteer social worker and volunteer dentist in his home country.
In his free time, Mr. Patel enjoys surfing, golfing, skydiving, hiking, spending time with family and friends, and trying different types of cultural foods.
Royann Royer
Royann Royer, CDA, RDH, M.P.H., is the founder and director of Healthy Smiles Forever, a nonprofit organization providing dental treatment for long-term-care residents in the Anchorage, Alaska, area since 2016. She was the founder of the dental assisting program of Southcentral Foundation on the Alaska Native Medical Center Campus, serving as director for 25 years. The program was CODA-accredited as an off-campus site of Salish Kootenai College in Montana for five years. Ms. Royer also served as a faculty member in the dental hygiene program at the University of Alaska Anchorage for over 20 years.
Ms. Royer has co-authored textbooks, developed videos and dental simulators, and contributed to public health initiatives and certification courses. She helped bring dental services and education to various international clinics, including in Russia, Mexico, and Nepal. For 20 years, she served as an examiner and chair of several Western Regional Examining Board committees. She was a member of the Alaska State Dental Board for eight years.
Ms. Royer has worked in clinical practice her entire career and is currently a dental assistant and expanded functions dental hygienist at the long-term-care clinics. She is a member of numerous organizations, including the American Dental Hygienists’ Association, International Federation of Dental Hygienists, and Health Volunteers Overseas.
Ms. Royer holds a Master of Public Health degree from Loma Linda University, a Bachelor of Arts degree from Eastern Washington University, and an Associate of Dental Hygiene degree from Clark College. She studied dental assisting and expanded functions at Spokane Community College.
Lindsey Yates
Lindsey Yates, D.D.S., FACD,
FNAP, of Denver, is an assistant director at the Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education at the University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus; an associate professor for the Department of Restorative Dentistry at the University of Colorado, School of Dental Medicine; and an associate dentist for the University of Colorado Dental Faculty Practice.
She is active in several professional organizations, including the American Dental Education Association, the American Dental Association, the Colorado Dental Association, and the Metropolitan Denver Dental Society. She is currently a board member of the American College of Dentists Colorado/Wyoming Section and a member of the Dentistry and Dental Hygiene Compact Technical Assistance Group.
Dr. Yates holds a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from Stony Brook University School of Dental Medicine. She is a fellow of the American College of Dentists, a fellow in the National Academies of Practice, and the recipient of numerous awards highlighting her commitment to dentistry.
Laura Skarnulis
Ms. Skarnulis is the Chief Executive Officer of DANB and the DALE Foundation, a role she has held since 2021. She spearheaded the development of the organizations’ 2023-2028 strategic plan, which centers on supporting dental assistant workforce development and elevating the profession. The plan and its related initiatives are future-focused and prioritize partnering with others in the dental community to support the delivery of quality oral healthcare.
Ms. Skarnulis came to DANB and the DALE Foundation after serving for more than eight years as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), an organization that establishes the certification and continuing certification standards for its 24 Member Boards, certifying more than 920,000 physicians in one or more of the 40 specialties and 87 subspecialties offered. As ABMS COO, Ms. Skarnulis was responsible for the oversight of the organization’s information technology services and database management system, marketing and communications, and finance and audit, as well as new product development and international programs.
Prior to her tenure at ABMS, Ms. Skarnulis served as Chief Operating and Financial Officer for the United Way of Metropolitan Chicago. She joined United Way after more than nine years as the Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President of Finance and Administration for the Arena Football League and its affiliate af2.
Ms. Skarnulis received a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy from Northern Illinois University and became a Certified Public Accountant. She was named a 2019 Notable Woman in Healthcare by Crain’s Chicago Business and was a finalist for the Financial Executives International’s CFO of the Year award in 2012.