Faculty

Dr. Denise Romero CDA, COA, RDA, OA, Ed.D,. Is the program director for the dental assisting program and currently works as a full-time faculty in the dental assisting program for Pasadena City College. In addition to her role as a classroom educator Dr. Romero consults with dental offices, teaching an eight-hour infection control course, two-hour Dental Practice Act course, and orthodontic assistant permit course. Dr. Romero has 26 years of clinical experience in dentistry and has worked in variety of settings, including general dentistry, pediatric dentistry, orthodontics, and dental supply sales. She currently teaches in both dental assisting and dental hygiene courses. Active in her professional associations, Dr. Romero served on the Board of Directors for the California Association of Dental Assisting Teachers (CADAT) for 3 years. She is involved in the American Dental Assistants Association. She also served as vice chair for the Dental Board of California's Dental Assisting Council and as a subject matter expert in orthodontics for the Dental Board of California. She is currently just finished serving her 3rd 

term on the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) board of directors as Vice Chair. Dr. Romero education includes: A certificate in dental assisting certificate and A.A degree at Cerritos College, Bachelors of Science degree in Business Administration from Everest University, Designated Subject's Teaching Credential: Vocational education for the adult learner from the California State University, Long Beach, Master's degree Education Curriculum and Instruction from California State Dominguez-Hills. A doctorate degree from the University of Southern California in the doctorate program Organizational Change and Leadership. She received the 2018 Pride Award for Educators from the American Dental Assistants Association. She recently became a fellow in the American Dental Assistants Association receiving the FADAA. 

Mrs. Allison Kajimoto, CDA, RDS, OA, BA currently works as a temporary full time instructor in the dental assisting program for Pasadena City College. She is an alumna of this same exact program! She has been in the dental profession for approximately 6 years. In addition to her role as an instructor, she practices orthodontic assisting at a private pratice and is an instructor for the Orthodontic Permit progam at PCC. This specialty of dentistry is her true passion! She has a bachelor's degree in Psychology from California Lutheran Univesity. While her main passion is dental, traveling and being a "foodie" come in as a quick second. 

Stephanie Schmidt, CDA, CPFDA, CRFDA, CDT, RDAEF2, FADAA, MS has had a lifelong love and connection with dentistry, having worked in small and large private dental offices as an assistant and an office manager, and also with United States military veterans in their dental clinic as a research dental assistant and dental technician. She currently volunteers part-time for a local community-based dental clinic as a Registered Dental Assistant in Extended Functions 2, providing preventive and restorative dental treatment for an underserved population. Throughout her career, Ms. Schmidt has been teaching dental assisting classes for public adult schools and community colleges. She has taught classes in dental essentials, dental radiology, dental materials, chairside assisting, RDA duties, and dental psychology. She is frequently asked to speak to state, national, and international dental assisting, dental technology and dental hygiene organizations on topics including dental law, infection control and many clinically-related topics, as well as on creative teaching techniques. Ms. Schmidt participates in local, state and national dental assisting associations in various leadership capacities, reviews dental text books as a subject matter expert and volunteers as needed for local dental related community service projects, such as fluoride treatments and toothprint identification sessions for grade school children. She has authored six articles on dental topics, which were circulated in national and international publications, has a master's degree in education, holds a California Designated Subjects Teaching Credential, and has been the recent recipient of multiple awards for excellence in teaching and in dental assisting. She currently teaches full-time for the Dental Assisting and Dental Hygiene Programs at Pasadena City College.

Dr. Fleming holds a BA from the University of California at San Diego, and received his DDS at the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry. He is a past Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry. Before coming to PCC, Dr. Fleming was on the faculty of the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry, and maintained a private practice in San Francisco. In 2010 Dr. Fleming completed a Master of Arts in Teaching at the University of Southern California.

Donna Wedell, RDA, CDA, MA is currently an adjunct instructor at Pasadena City College. She has been in the Dental Profession for approximately 42 years. She received her Associate in Science (AS) degree and certificate in dental assisting from Rio Hondo College. She continued her education and received her Baccalaurete Degree in vocational education from California State University Los Angeles and hold a Master of Arts degree with a vocational education emphasis from California State University San Bernardino. Ms. Wedell earned her clear Community College Teaching Certificate from University of Califronia, Los Angeles.                                     

Ms. Wedell has been in the field of dentistry since 1973 as an active chairside assistant in private practices as a chairside assistant in general and pediatric dentistry, and an office manager in the pediatric practice. Ms. Wedell became a full-time faculty member at Chaffey College in their Dental Assisting program for 4 years. In 2004, she became a full-time faculty member at Cerritos College.  Ms. Wedell became the Program Director at Cerritos college for their Dental Assisting Program in 2009. Ms. Wedell retired  from Cerritos Colege in 2018. However, Ms. Wedell's passion for high-quality education and love of changing lives of the students she has continued to teach as an adjunct instructor in Dental Assisting programs. She taught courses in dental materials, infection control, chairside assisting, dental anatomy, dental sciences, radiology, coronal polish, pit and fissure sealants, RDA duties, and clinical internship. 

Ms. Wedell several years on the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) as a site visitor for other colleges. She was an expert witness in a court case regarding dental radiology. She has been a contributor to textbooks, articles, and other publications Currently she is a member of the Board of Directors for the California Dental Assisting Association (CADAT). She received the Hazel O. Tores award for outstanding teaching from the CADAT organization. She is a member of several dental and teachers' associations. Ms. Wedell gives back to the community by voluteering at several free clinics.