619.ACADEMYKnowledgeable Faculty Members Will Teach and Mentor You
As active members of the California Association of Dental Assisting Teachers (CADAT), our faculty is committed to teaching excellence. All of our experienced faculty members have at least eight years of dental and teaching experience and proactively take continuing education courses for leadership and classroom management.
To stay current on the newest technology and techniques, our faculty members are working professionals in the dental field. By continuing their education and practicing their skillset, our instructors ensure that you receive the most current information.
As a Howard Healthcare Academy student, you will receive personal attention and mentorship from your instructors to assure you have the technical skills as well as professionalism necessary to excel in your dental career.
Meet Our Dental Assisting Faculty
Kami Hoss, D.D.S., M.S., Orthodontist
Howard Healthcare Academy Founder and Faculty Member
“I love to inspire people to be the best they can be and get them excited about working in dentistry.”
Dr. Kami Hoss is an orthodontist as well as co-founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of The Super Dentists, the number one pediatric and orthodontic office in San Diego. As CEO of The Super Dentists, Dr. Kami Hoss has hired and trained many employees. Over the years, he noticed that many job candidates didn’t have the skills, experience and knowledge required for their new dental career. His desire to elevate dentistry and provide students with the ability and proficiency they were lacking led him to found Howard Healthcare Academy. In additon to being a working orthodontist, Dr. Kami Hoss helps train future dental assistants to excel in their profession by providing practical and useful information for a career in dentistry.
Fueled by his passion for dentistry, Dr. Kami Hoss set himself up for success by choosing a profession that combines his love of people, physics, biology, art and creativity. After earning his undergraduate degree in Chemistry and D.D.S. from the University of California, Los Angeles, he went on to earn his master’s degree in Craniofacial Biology and postdoctoral residency in Advanced Orthodontics from the University of Southern California. Dr. Hoss has a love for education and sharing his knowledge. As an orthodontist and business owner, he possesses the innovation and experience to motivate students. According to Dr. Hoss, “The future of dental assisting has never looked better with opportunities in a variety of areas of dentistry. My advice to students would be to always continue their education and get the highest certification that they can get.”
As a member of the Board of Councilors at UCLA School of Dentistry, American Association of Orthodontists, American Dental Association, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, California Dental Association, San Diego Dental Society and Best CEO Group; Dr. Hoss remains atop the newest trends in dentistry as well as innovates new dental advances of his own. His research has been published in professional publications including the Journal of Clinical Orthodontics and he has been interviewed on a variety of topics in dentistry and business in journals including Inside Dentistry, San Diego Business Journal and others.
Dr. Hoss also released a new #1 bestselling book. You can view more about his personal work by clicking the links below:
Website: https://drkamihoss.com/
Book: themouthbook.com
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Kami-Hoss/
Dr. Kami Hoss teaches the Orthodontic Assistant Permit course in addition to business and marketing classes at Howard Healthcare Academy. Most recently, Dr. Hoss and the Howard Healthcare Academy have offered both discounts and scholarship opportunities to students who were affected by the sudden closure of Brightwood College in San Diego, California. (Read more here!)
Nazli Keri, D.D.S., Pediatric Dentist
Howard Healthcare Academy Faculty Member
Dr. Nazli Keri is a pediatric dentist as well as cofounder of The Super Dentists, the number one pediatric and orthodontic office in San Diego. As a specialist in treating children, Dr. Keri has vast experience and a unique perspective regarding how to create a trusting environment for children and parents in a dental office. Her dental students receive the benefit of her capabilities and compassion.
As an experienced author, lecturer and instructor, Dr. Keri is adept at helping students understand the intricacies of working in a dental office. From the skills necessary to perform the functions of a dental assistant to the personal qualities needed to interact with dental patients, Dr. Keri imparts information in a manner that helps students retain and practice what they learn.
Dr. Keri was educated at the University of California, Los Angeles for her undergrad in Chemistry and attended the Universtiy of Southern California for her D.D.S. and postdoctoral residency. She is a member of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, American Dental Associaiton, Califorania Dental Association and San Diego Dental Society.
Lorena S. Meza, R.D.A.
Howard Healthcare Academy Dental Program Director and Faculty Member
“One of my favorite parts of teaching is hearing the stories about how my students got their first dental assisting jobs and were finally able to move out of their parents’ homes and buy their first cars.”
Lorena S. Meza is a Registered Dental Assistant and Program Director of Howard Healthcare Academy. Initially, Lorena thought she would be a dental hygienist; however, decided to first become a dental assistant to see if she liked working in a dental office. Lorena soon discovered that she enjoyed being a dental assistant. Having duties that varied from day to day, encountering many types of patients and experiencing different procedures while working side-by-side with a dentist made her job fulfilling. After a couple of years, Lorena decided to become a licensed registered dental assistant (RDA).
In 2010, Lorena became a Subject Matter Expert for the Dental Board of California reviewing curriculum for new dental schools that applied for Board approval, as well as conducting audits for the schools once their curriculum was approved. Her desire to help students become successful and grow within their profession, combined with her personal ethics and understanding of the regulations, have helped Lorena excel in her profession. “I want to make sure the dental profession has well-trained dental assistants doing their tasks correctly, honestly and ethically. And as a Program Director, I want to make sure that our instructors are performing their duties correctly, following the proper protocols and staying in compliance,” says Lorena.
In addition to being a Subject Matter Expert for the Dental Board of California, Lorena is a member of the American Dental Assistants Association (ADAA) and California Association of Dental Assisting Teachers (CADAT). Lorena believes that for people interested in helping others, who have an interest in the medical field (and don't want to deal with all the other body parts), dentistry is a perfect fit. Because there are many specialties in dentistry, dental assistants can attend a little more schooling to become certified as a registered dental assistant (RDA) or registered dental assistant with extended function (RDAEF), and even move into management or teaching. Another benefit of choosing the dental field is that dental professionals are usually not required to work late nights, weekends and holidays.
As the Howard Healthcare Academy Program Director, Lorena is qualified to teach all RDA program classes as well as Standalone Courses.
