The ceremony took place at 101 North Broad Street on the second floor of the Health and Science Building above the new KinderSmile Community Oral Health Care Center in Trenton.

This was the second cohort of students to graduate from the Introduction to Dental Assisting program. Two students, Stephanie Hildago of Trenton and Mia Davis of Ewing, received certificates of completion after 100 hours of classroom studies and 20 hours of hands-on clinical work at the KinderSmile Center over a two-semester period.

According to Dental Assisting Instructor Michelle Redd, who was instrumental in establishing the program along with Dr. Ethan Glickman, Dr. Carolyn Breen and Dr. Gene Napoliello, the two graduates have already begun the next leg of their studies. One student plans to focus on dental radiography and the other will pursue a certification as a registered dental assistant. In 2021, which was the first year of the program, five students graduated.

Redd stressed the urgent need for more dental assistants in the workforce. “Two members of last year’s graduating class were hired right away as dental assistants in the KinderSmile facility in Trenton,” she said.

Redd, who participated in the ceremony and who is also an educator outside MCCC, emphasized how much she enjoys training the students for their careers in healthcare. “I have been with the program from the outset and these are some of the best young people I’ve had the experience to work with. They have been wonderful.”

During the graduation, which was attended by family, friends, instructors and administrators, Dr. Gonzalo Perez, Dean of the MCCC Center for Continuing Studies Division of Lifelong Learning, presented the certificates to the graduates. Perez remarked, “We are pleased to celebrate the second year of the JKC Dental Assisting Program and honor the accomplishments of our graduates who worked so hard these past two semesters.”

The ceremony also included a touching video titled “Tribute to Dr. Gene,” commemorating the life of Dr. Gene Napoliello who passed away April 5.

“We’d also like to honor the selfless efforts of Dr. Gene who helped establish our dental program here at JKC,” said Perez. “His presence will be missed by all of us.”

Napoliello was a retired dentist who was instrumental in developing the patient-centered program for the college and the community. The tribute was interspersed with visuals of students, colleagues and friends who described the beloved professor as vibrant, unforgettable, loved, visionary, inspiring, hero, sincere, unique and selfless.

Portions of the video were made while Napoliello was still active in the dental program at JKC. His kind and self-effacing character was palpable.

“I just shared who I was,” said Napoliello in the video. “I wasn’t trying to impress anybody.”

Napoliello was an Air Force Veteran and the New Jersey State Advisor of HOSA Future Health Professionals, an international career and technical student organization, for the last several years.

The JKC and KinderSmile partnership was created to provide dental training opportunities and access to affordable dental care throughout the Trenton community. For more information about courses and training programs visit www.mccc.edu/dental or call 609-570-3311.