Meet Our Instructors
Carlos Granados Cruz, Instructor
Carlos is originally from Mexico and, as a dental assistant, he supports the doctors and his co-workers in delivering the best dental health services possible. His favorite hobbies include swimming, hiking with his pets and cooking. Carlos looks forward to helping his students at Vail Valley Dental Assisting School grow and thrive in the healthcare industry.
Zoey Holcomb, Instructor
Zoey hails from Olathe, Kansas, and became a certified dog groomer in 2017. Five years later, she and her husband embraced a new adventure by buying their first home in Eagle. A firm believer in growth and continuous learning, Zoey is passionate about acquiring new skills and helping her team succeed.
Currently, Zoey is training to become a dental assistant and looks forward to bringing smiles to her neighbors' faces. When she’s not working, you’ll find her outdoors or exploring the world—she has already traveled to 10 countries and can’t wait to see even more!
Xiomara Herrera, Instructor
Xiomara is a Colorado native, born and raised in the Vail Valley area. A 2015 graduate of Battle Mountain High School, she went on to attend the Salon Professional Academy, where she earned her diploma in Cosmetology. Family is everything to Xiomara—she has three sisters, three nieces and amazing parents who mean the world to her. She also adores her white husky, who keeps her company on many outdoor adventures.
Recently, Xiomara began attending the dental assisting school at Castle Peak Dental and is excited to embark on her new career in dentistry. She looks forward to making a positive impact in her community and growing within the dental field.
Melissa Rodriquez, Registrar
Melissa Rodriguez has been a proud local of the Eagle Valley since 1994. She graduated from Eagle Valley High School in 2010 and went on to work as the Front Office Supervisor at the Best Western Eagle Lodge & Suites. She now uses those skills to facilitate business operations for Vail Valley Dental Assisting School, DA Schools Delivered, Castle Peak Dental and Avon Dental.
Melissa and her husband, Juan, love spending their summers exploring the outdoors with their two adventurous children: Austin, who is five, and Laylah, who is two. Melissa is excited to be part of the team and looks forward to growing within the company.
Jillian Jugert, Administrative Assistant
Jillian has over five years of experience in the dentistry field, in which she has built a successful track record in marketing and administrative work. She is thrilled to be part of the team and looks forward to making a positive impact with Vail Valley Dental Assisting School, DA Schools Delivered, Avon Dental and Castle Peak Dental.
A Colorado native, Jillian enjoys spending time with her husband and their dog. In her free time, she loves tap dancing, singing, traveling and exploring new restaurants.
Dr. Summer Kassmel, DDS,
Director/Instructor
Dr. Summer Kassmel is the owner of Castle Peak Dental, Avon Dental, and Ladder5 Mentorship & Resources.
She also owns and operates Vail Valley Dental Assisting School, DA Schools Delivered, and Dental Career Academy in the Vail, Colorado area, where she has built a life she loves in the mountains with her family.
Leaving the clinical chair of her offices in 2014 has allowed Summer to focus on scaling and maximizing profit in her 2 large offices, as well as create DA Schools Delivered and Dental Career Academy. These products help doctors grow high culture DA and front office departments that minimize staffing costs and increase profitability in their own offices.
Summer is currently a Black Belt Coach for the Dental Success Institute, where she coaches other doctors to implement elite systemization and control their overhead. She loves utilizing numbers and metrics to help doctors make intelligent decisions and work with intention rather than at a frenetic pace. She is also faculty for Dental Success Network where she facilitates the Lady Leader Group to encourage and help other women.
She is passionate about helping doctors build successful practices and lives of their dreams but is especially enthusiastic about supporting women doctors to grow thriving practices they love through her personalized Ladder5 Mentorship.
