About Us
We are Colorado’s LEADING Dental Temp Agency
Mission
At Assistance On Call, our mission is to connect dental practices with exceptional talent, providing personalized staffing solutions with unwavering integrity, expertise, and heart. We strive to build lasting relationships, support the success of our clients and candidates, and elevate the standard of dental care in our community.
Vision
Our vision is to be the trusted partner for dental staffing, renowned for our commitment to quality, ethics, and personalized service. We aim to continue our legacy of excellence, fostering a network of talented professionals and satisfied clients, and making a positive impact on the lives of those we serve.
Core Values
Integrity: We operate with transparency, honesty, and ethics in every interaction, building trust with our clients, candidates, and team.
High Quality: We pursue exceptional quality in our staffing solutions, continually improving our services to meet the evolving needs of dental practices.
Personal Attention: We take a genuine interest in the success of our clients and candidates, providing tailored support and guidance every step of the way.
Expertise: We leverage our 42 years of experience and industry knowledge to make informed matches and drive results.
Community: We value our role in the dental community, contributing to the well-being of patients and the success of dental practices.
Your Placement Specialists
Barb: Owner
I have enjoyed a lengthy and rewarding career in the dental profession, having begun my path in the dental field in 1973 prior to launching my company, Assistance On Call, Inc. (AOC) in 1983. I am committed to perfecting the staffing needs of the dental community. I feel strongly that we are a relationship-based company, we treat our clients and employees with the respect they deserve.
I am an honest and loyal individual. I lack patience and have a ‘no tolerance’ policy when it comes to disloyalty, incompetence, and dishonesty. My standards are extremely high when it comes to my company and my personal life. I was born and raised in North Denver in a very traditional Italian household, which may – in part – explain my strong values.
When not working, you can find me on the golf course with my husband of over 40 years, or on long walks with our two rescue dogs. I am a very strong supporter of animal rights. I enjoy spending time watching my grandkids, participate in sports. Cooking, reading, golf, movies and spending time outdoors in beautiful Colorado. I also enjoy watching most professional sports teams from my recliner!
Shannon Ferguson: Manager/CEO
I am one of the few Colorado natives. I grew up in Golden and currently live with my two amazing daughters and my wonderful husband in Arvada. When not working, I am driving my girls to and from sports and enjoy watching them compete and do what they love. Also, I help coach a competitive softball team, which brings me great joy. Our family loves hiking, binge watching various Netflix shows, and doing just about anything as long as we are together.
Prior to my journey with AOC, I was a teacher. I taught several grades, and eventually got my Masters degree in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education, which opened the door to working with multilingual learners and their families. Teaching filled my heart and developed my problem solving and critical thinking skills for 15 years. I worked with the most incredible people, and am beyond grateful for how this profession impacted my heart and mind. I worked part time for AOC for over two years when I decided to jump on board full time. Working for AOC fulfills my desires and passion for helping people, problem solving, critical thinking and working collaboratively through a common vision.
I am proud to be a part of a team that values personal attention, integrity and high quality. Both the employees and clients who serve and utilize AOC are some of the most exceptional people, and I am thrilled to continue to learn and grow with the most superior staffing company in the industry.
Bob: Staffing Coordinator
I am a Colorado native, raised in North Denver. After receiving a college degree in computer science, I moved to California, circa Silicon Valley in the 80s. I have lived in many parts of the country. Another college and a Theology degree. I still very much enjoy Biblical research and teaching. Since the 80s, I have worked in various fields across the country, all of which have allowed me to interact with people in a customer service capacity. I returned to Denver in 2001 with a wife and a daughter and started working for Assistance On Call.
After an eight-year hiatus from AOC in 2009, I decided to rejoin the AOC team in February 2019. There continue to be many changes to the dental staffing world and AOC continues to grow with the industry. The high-quality standards that Barb has always had regarding the care of her employees and attention to customers has not wavered. AOC continues to operate with the same professional and personal integrity that has always set us apart from other staffing companies. I have always been proud to be part of the AOC team.
While my life has had many changes from first starting with Assistance On Call, I am amazed at the changes and growth of our world. Especially our country. I am thankfully blessed with a wonderful daughter who is a NICU pediatric nurse. She and her wonderful husband welcomed my first Granddaughter. My time away from the office includes ANY time I can spend with family and time on writing projects including an autobiography. After a personal withdrawal from Bronco and Rockies fandom, I have slowly returned to once again support and root for our teams. The karaoke days may be long gone and possibly replaced by the lazy, at-home evenings binge-watching intense TV-series accompanied by the 1000-piece puzzle or the latest LEGO set.
Jeannette: Staffing Coordinator/Marketing
I am a proud mother of three sons that are growing into wonderful human beings. I’ve been married for 17 years to the most chill guy ever. I was born and raised in El Paso, Texas with a traditional Mexican upbringing– and best Mexican food (in my opinion). I am one of 4 sisters. It was interesting growing up with one bathroom.
I attended college in Arizona and California. At age 19, I started dental assisting in Phoenix, AZ., while in school. Now I have 15+ years of experience in the dental field. I have worked in almost every specialty in dental, learning a great deal along the way. I have worked with various dental software and managed employees. Also, I was part of opening a new office where I was responsible for managing back office staff and duties.
When I moved to Colorado in 2008 I performed a variety of jobs, from working in the dental field to starting my own staffing agency. Ironically, here I am watching these two worlds collide– it is surreal! The staff, employees and clients within the AOC community embody great integrity and high quality professionals whom I am eager to work alongside. I cannot be more excited to join and learn from this wonderful team. My culture is rooted in a strong work ethic, values and morals, which I will bring to my role with AOC. Not only do I strive to live this way, I look for that in my everyday life, which is why I am truly grateful to be a part of this community.
Our History
After being employed in a dental office from 1974–1983 and experiencing the inconsistencies and problems in the workplace, Barb Sumner, Founder and CEO of Assistance On Call, Inc. (AOC), envisioned a better way. Barb set out to change Colorado’s dental staffing industry on both sides of the equation, from the doctor’s point of view AND through the eyes of the employee. Assistance on Call, Inc. (AOC) was established in 1983 and has remained Colorado’s premier dental staffing company.
AOC’s inception took place in a 700 square foot home in south Denver. A picnic table represented the office “desk” and a rotary dial phone was Barb’s main method of communication. The only other technology AOC used, at that time, consisted of a reel-to-reel answering machine, a manual typewriter, and a radio shack entry level computer with a cassette tape backup. The infancy stage of building a business is never easy, and those lean times lasted 10 years.
With persistence and dedication throughout the years, AOC has become the definitive leader in the dental staffing industry. Assistance On Call, Inc. now boasts a one-of-a-kind proprietary scheduling software system (designed by Barb), a complete system of networked computers, a state-of-the-art phone system as well as an integrated website.
AOC, temporary and temp-to-perm dental staffing company, is currently located in a beautiful, highly efficient office in Lakewood, Colorado. With over 40 years of experience, 24 hour service, and continuous monitoring of the needs of the dental community, we look forward to assisting you with all of your dental staffing needs.
AOC is steeped in Barb’s high ethical standards and constant emphasis on exceptional morals and values. As far as Barb is concerned, this is the only way to conduct business – with integrity and respectability. AOC refuses to compromise on the quality of the service it provides. Thank you for trusting Assistance On Call, Inc. (AOC), the leading temporary and temp-to-perm staffing company in Colorado …. since 1983.
