About us
We are an online educational community that provides a space where you can feel respected, supported, and confident about your growth as an empowered dental assistant.
Why we're here for Dental Assistants
We didn’t start Digital Dental Assistant Academy because it sounded like a good idea. We started it because we were frustrated, and we could make it better.
Our Co-Founder, Chelsea, spent years inside real dental offices, figuring out 3D printing workflows the hard way. Not from a perfect manual. Not from a step-by-step course made for assistants. But from trial and error. Late nights. Failed prints. Scans that didn’t capture. Post-processing that didn’t go as planned.
And if you’re a dental assistant in digital dentistry, you already know what that feels like:
- You’re handed a scanner and told to “figure it out.”
- You’re standing in front of a printer hoping the settings are right.
- You’re trimming and curing and polishing… wondering if you missed something.
WE'VE BEEN THERE!
As dental assistants, we saw a huge gap. Digital dentistry is moving fast. Offices are investing in scanners and printers. But assistants? We are expected to just keep up. Without real training. Without clear workflows. Without someone walking us through the why behind the steps.
We have spent years refining what actually works: predictable scanning strategies, organized print workflows, efficient post-processing systems that make sense in a busy office. Real-life, chairside, Monday-morning workflows.
That’s why we built Digital Dental Assistant Academy.
Because assistants deserve more than guesswork. More than “watch a YouTube video.” More than being told to just figure it out.
We built the training we wish we had. Clear. Practical. Step-by-step.
Focused on scanners, 3D printing, post-processing, and real digital workflows that actually fit inside a dental office.
We don’t want you wasting years learning by trial and error like we did.
Digital dentistry isn’t slowing down. And neither should you.
Your Founders
Chelsea Homire, DA
CO-Founder, Dean of Education | The Digital Dental Assistant Academy
With over 14 years as an Expanded Functions Dental Assistant (EFDA), I’ve built a career around growth, reinvention, and digital innovation. After nearly leaving dentistry, I discovered 3D printing—and it completely transformed my path. That spark led me to become an in-house Digital Fabrication Specialist, where I found more fulfillment, higher income, and a renewed passion for technology.
Today, I’m proud to serve as co-founder of the Digital Dental Assistant Academy (DDAA) and the St. Louis 3D Printing Study Club, as well as a SprintRay and Straumann Key Educator. I also share my love for digital dentistry on YouTube, helping assistants confidently learn 3D printing and digital workflows.
My work has been featured by the Institute of Digital Dentistry, Blue Sky Bio University, and IgniteDA, and in 2024 I was honored to join the Patterson St. Louis Women in Dentistry panel.
As DDAA’s lead instructor, my mission is simple—to empower dental assistants to master digital tools and claim their rightful place in the future of dentistry.
Rochelle Foote, DA
CO-Founder, CMO | The Digital Dental Assistant Academy
I know what it’s like to sit chairside and juggle a hundred details at once. After 13 years as a dental assistant, I’ve seen firsthand how much heart and effort it takes to run a thriving practice, and how hard it can be to communicate that story online.
That’s why I help dental teams connect with patients in ways that feel real. Drawing on my clinical experience and communication skills, I create social media strategies that turn patient education into powerful storytelling. Every post I craft is designed to build trust, ease patient fears, and highlight what makes a practice truly stand out.
As Co-Founder of the Digital Dental Assistant Academy, I’m passionate about empowering assistants to step confidently into the digital age. Because when we combine dental expertise with smart, authentic marketing, everyone wins: the team, the patients, and the practice.
Wayne Glassoff
CO-FOUNDER, CEO | The Digital Dental Assistant Academy
I’ve spent nearly two decades in the dental industry, helping practices and teams embrace the future of digital dentistry.
Over the years, I’ve personally trained more than 500 dental assistants and practices in 3D printing, digital workflows, and chairside innovation. My passion is empowering assistants to become confident, skilled digital leaders — because when assistants grow, entire practices thrive.
Through the Digital Dental Assistant Academy, my goal is to make digital dentistry approachable, practical, and fun for every dental professional ready to take the next step.
For Dental Assistants by Dental Assistants
Everything we build inside Digiral Dental Assistant Academy is created for dental assistants, by dental assistants.
Our courses, tools, and resources aren’t theoretical, they’re built from real clinical experience, real workflows, and real challenges faced in modern dental practices.
We understand the pace, the pressure, and the potential of the assistant role because we’ve lived it. That’s why every lesson is practical, empowering, and designed to help assistants lead confidently in digital dentistry.
Our guest faculty
Ronda Holman, RDA
Kristina Dion, DA, RDH
Instructor | The Digital Dental Assistant Academy
Instructor | The Digital Dental Assistant Academy
Ronda Holman discovered her passion for dental assisting while serving in the United States Air Force, where she trained in oral surgery and general dentistry and completed her service as a prophy tech—the military’s equivalent of a dental hygienist. That experience built a strong foundation of discipline, precision, and clinical excellence. As an Air Force spouse for 13 years, she worked in dental offices across the country, gaining firsthand insight into a wide range of practice styles, systems, and expectations.
Ronda specializes in immediate denture and partial fabrication, CEREC technology, airway-focused patient education, and advanced chairside efficiency. Known for creating clear systems and high standards, she trains dental assistants to think critically, act confidently, and add real value to their teams. Through IgniteDA, she provides the structure and tools assistants need to elevate performance, build trust, and become indispensable in the operatory.
Kristina’s passion for dentistry began at six years old when she told her dad she wanted to be a dentist—a moment that sparked a lifelong journey in the field. She started her career as both an office administrator and Dental Assistant while studying to become a Dental Hygienist. After five years as an RDH, she moved into a territory manager and business consultant role, supporting dental teams in elevating their systems, communication, and clinical outcomes.
Today, Kristina trains and supports practices in optimizing their labs, technology, and workflows to help teams deliver consistent clinical success and create exceptional patient experiences.
Ronda Holman, RDA
INSTRUCTOR | The Digital Dental Assistant Academy
Ronda Holman discovered her passion for dental assisting while serving in the United States Air Force, where she trained in oral surgery and general dentistry and completed her service as a prophy tech—the military’s equivalent of a dental hygienist. That experience built a strong foundation of discipline, precision, and clinical excellence. As an Air Force spouse for 13 years, she worked in dental offices across the country, gaining firsthand insight into a wide range of practice styles, systems, and expectations.
Ronda specializes in immediate denture and partial fabrication, CEREC technology, airway-focused patient education, and advanced chairside efficiency. Known for creating clear systems and high standards, she trains dental assistants to think critically, act confidently, and add real value to their teams. Through IgniteDA, she provides the structure and tools assistants need to elevate performance, build trust, and become indispensable in the operatory.
Kristina Dion, DA, RDH
Instructor | The Digital Dental Assistant Academy
Kristina’s passion for dentistry began at six years old when she told her dad she wanted to be a dentist—a moment that sparked a lifelong journey in the field. She started her career as both an office administrator and Dental Assistant while studying to become a Dental Hygienist. After five years as an RDH, she moved into a territory manager and business consultant role, supporting dental teams in elevating their systems, communication, and clinical outcomes.
Today, Kristina trains and supports practices in optimizing their labs, technology, and workflows to help teams deliver consistent clinical success and create exceptional patient experiences.
Dental Assistants are
Dentistry's most underestimated asset
At Digital Dental Assistant Academy, we believe dental assistants play a critical role in advancing digital dentistry. Unfortunately, most practices overlook the significant impact that dental assistants can have.
The reality is, when dental assistants elevate, patients heal, and the practice grows.
That’s why we’ve created the Digital Dental Assistant Academy, your online education and training platform designed by dental assistants for dental assistants.
What you'll actually learn
Inside Digital Dental Assistant Academy
Digital dentistry isn’t just one skill. It’s a comprehensive toolkit. We break the process down into assistant-friendly training that you can put into action immediately in your dental practice.
Core Skill
Intraoral scanning foundations:
- Scan confidently
- Avoid retakes
- Understand what “Good Data” looks like
Core Skill
Restorative + Ortho Workflows
- Crowns and Bridges
- Aligner Scans and Retainers
- How assistants support the full digital process
Core Skill
3D Printing in the practice:
- Set-up
- Post-Processing
- Quality checks
- How to avoid common failures
Profitable Workflow
Nightguards & Retainers
- The most profitable in-office workflows, trained in an easy step-by-step methodology for dental assistants.
Communication
Dental case acceptance
- How dental assistants can help patients say “yes” to comprehensive dental care with confidence and clarity.
Dental Systems
The digital dental assistant playbook
- Dental systems, checklists, scripts, and templates that will make you highly valued and indespensible to your team.
Compare our membership options so you can choose a plan that works best for you.
WHAT YOU'LL ACTUALLY LEARN
INSIDE DIGITAL DENTAL ASSISTANT ACADEMY
Digital dentistry isn’t just one skill. It’s a comprehensive toolkit. We break the process down into assistant-friendly training that you can put into action immediately in your dental practice.
CORE SKILL
Intraoral scanning foundations:
- Scan confidently
- Avoid retakes
- Understand what “Good Data” looks like
CORE SKILL
Restorative + Ortho Workflows
- Crowns and Bridges
- Aligner Scans and Retainers
- How assistants support the full digital process
CORE SKILL
3D Printing in the practice:
- Set-up
- Post-Processing
- Quality checks
- How to avoid common failures
PROFITABLE WORKFLOW
Nightguards & Retainers
- The most profitable in-office workflows, trained in an easy step-by-step methodology for dental assistants.
COMMUNICATION
Dental case acceptance
- How dental assistants can help patients say “yes” to comprehensive dental care with confidence and clarity.
DENTAL SYSTEMS
The digital dental assistant playbook
- Dental systems, checklists, scripts, and templates that will make you highly valued and indespensible to your team.
Compare our membership options so you can choose a plan that works best for you.