OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea – The 51st Medical group recognized five military dependents during a Dental Assistant Training Program graduation ceremony at the Osan Air Base Chapel, Osan AB, Republic of Korea, May 29, 2026.

The ceremony highlighted how community partnerships and professional development opportunities strengthen both readiness and tour normalization efforts at Osan AB. The training program is a collaborative effort between the American Red Cross, Defense Health Agency and the Department of War, providing military dependents with the education, clinical experience and mentorship needed to develop assisting skills while supporting operations within the 51st MDG dental clinic.

Once accepted into the program, participants are integrated into the 51st MDG dental clinic, where they complete more than 700 hours of training through the program, including 100 hours of classroom instruction and 600 hours of hands-on clinical experience. Throughout the course, they work alongside active duty dental technicians, receiving instruction in chairside assisting, infections control procedures, patient care and clinical workflow.

“The requirement is not easy,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. Hannah Cho, 51st Operational Medical Readiness Squadron general dentist. “They work almost full time while volunteering with us. It takes a lot of dedication, but by the end they’re actively assisting with patient care and functioning much like a trained dental assistant.”

As tour normalization continues to expand opportunities for Airmen and their families across the Korean Peninsula, programs like this help create career-building pathways for dependents and provide an environment to professionally develop while stationed overseas.

“There’s a lot of career limitations when families move overseas,” said Cho. “If they’re here for years, they want to develop their personal careers and expand their opportunities. This program gives them a chance to do that.”

The training program also helps military spouses and dependents gain valuable experience while exploring new career fields never considered.

“I never thought I’d get into dentistry,” said Leandra Rivera, Dental Assistant Training Program graduate. “The program gave me the opportunity to learn a new skill, challenge myself and discover a career field I may not have considered otherwise.”

Beyond developing new skills, participants help increase the clinic’s capacity by supporting dental teams throughout their training.

“You don’t really understand how big of an impact it makes until you’re in it,” said Rivera. “Once we got the hang of things, we were able to support the technicians and doctors and allow them to focus on other responsibilities. It was rewarding to see how our work contributed to the mission.”