School of Health Professions - Dental Assisting

Dental Assisting 
Contact: datcinfo@datc.net 

	Program Length:	Core Courses (1530 hours required)
	College Credit Available:	No
	Apprenticeship Available:	No
	Wage Summary:	Average mid-range wage: $8.80
	Federal Financial Aid:	Yes
	VA Qualified:	Yes
	Special Requirements:	18 yrs of age and high school diploma  or GED required for clinical training
	Student Requirements:	High school seniors may take pre-clinical courses.
	Hours Available:	Mon-Fri 7:40am - 2:30pm

The Dental Assistant assists the Dentist in the treatment of patients, sits chairside and assists the Dentist during procedures. Clinical duties may include obtaining and recording medical and dental histories and vital signs of the patient, instructing the patient in oral hygiene and plaque control programs providing postoperative instructions as prescribed by the Dentist. The assistant may also set up instrument trays, sterilize and disinfect instruments and equipment, expose, develop, and mount diagnostic dental radiographs. Other duties consist of making dental impressions and study casts, cleaning and polishing coronal portion of the teeth and applying topical fluorides to strengthen teeth.

Administrative duties may include scheduling appointments, receiving payments, completing insurance forms, preparing and sending bills, and maintaining patient records. Upon completion of training, students are eligible to take the Dental Assisting Certification Exam administered by the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB).

Although students must have a high school diploma (or equivalent) to be in the Dental Assisting Program, as a high school senior, students may enroll in the Dental Office Administration Program preparatory for the Dental Assisting Program.

Enrollment for this program is year round.

Core Courses
(1500 hours required)

Computer Literacy	90
Dental Terminology	30
Dental Law & Ethics	30
Dental Assisting Anatomy & Physiology	60
Dental Assisting Clinical Procedures I	60
Dental Assisting Clinical Procedures II	105
Dental Assisting Clinical Procedures III	165
Dental Assisting Clinical Procedures IV	150
Dental Assisting Clinical Procedures V	150
Dental Radiology	90
Dental Office Administrative Procedures I	90
Dental Office Administrative Procedures II	30
Dental Assisting Externship I	150
Dental Assisting Externship II	150
Math I	60
Psychology for Health Professionals	30
Workplace Relations	60

Electives Available
(30 hours required)
(Electives Available Based on Local Employer Requirements)

Special Applications (1-180 hrs)
Job Seeking Skills (30 hrs)

Advisory Team: 

• Judy Price (Fairfield Dental- Dr. Brad Salmon)
• Wendy Eaton (Kidz Works- Dr. Scott Wall)
• Lynette Stiles (Oakridge Dental- Dr. Brian Call)
• Candace Woodall (Russell Endodontics- Dr. Cameron Russell) 
• Lesa Sepulveda (Dr. Chad Morgan 
• Dr. Chad Morgan
• Dr. Jeff Hansen
• Dr. Grant Brough
• Dr. Brian Call
• Cathy Turnbow, CDA
• Joleen VanBibber, CDPMA
• Jan Wray
• Kim Ziebarth
• Rosemary Illes
• Janeece Black