Dental Assisting

Length in Months: 12 / Quarters 4*
*Based on full-time enrollment

Objective

The Dental Assistant’s role is critical to the delivery of quality dental health care. Advanced technologies and the increasing demand for dental services have resulted in dramatic growth in the industry. The objective of the dental assisting program is to provide quality career education that prepares students not only for seeking entry-level employment in the dental assisting field but also for life-long learning and personal and professional growth.

Description

Dental assistants perform a variety of patient care, office, and laboratory duties. They sterilize and disinfect instruments and equipment, prepare and lay out the instruments and materials required to treat each patient, and obtain and update patients' dental records. Assistants make patients comfortable in the dental chair and prepare them for treatment. During dental procedures, assistants work alongside the dentist to provide assistance. The Dental Assisting curriculum provides a foundation in the health sciences and hands-on training in using the technology necessary to perform tasks typically performed by a Dental Assistant.

Externship

An externship component is included in this program to provide students with the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills to real-life situations in a dental setting. Students are required to complete the required externship hours and other related learning activities prior to graduation. Students are not paid for work performed at the externship site. Students must successfully complete all course work to advance into the 300-clock hour externship experience. Entering an externship requires maintenance of satisfactory progress in compliance with established academic policies and procedures. The student works on site in a combination of clinical and front office settings to practice the skills learned in the classroom and acquire confidence in a real-world environment.

Credentialing Exams

The program prepares graduates with the requisite knowledge and skills to challenge the three-part Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) exam administered by the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB). However, graduates of the program are eligible to take the General Chairside Assisting (GC) portion of the exam only if the program is approved by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) or after working 3500 hours as a dental assistant. There are no eligibility requirements for taking the Radiation Health and Safety Examination (RHS) or the Infection Control Examination (ICE) Examination.

Graduates of this program are eligible for taking the Dental Assisting National Board’s (DANB) Radiation Health and Safety (RHS), and the Infection Control Examination (ICE) Examinations.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the Dental Assisting program are prepared to seek entry-level employment in the office of a licensed dentist, performing tasks such as assisting with procedures, managing/maintaining patient records, and completing other appropriate tasks assigned by the licensed Dentist.