Dental Assistant Certificate General Information
Program Description: The 60 hour Dental Assisting Program prepares students for entry level positions in one of the fastest growing health care positions – Dental Assisting. The purpose of this course is to familiarize the student with all areas of pre-clinical dental assisting and provide training in the professional skills required to function as an assistant in the dental practice. This course covers the following key areas and topics – Administrative Aspects include: the history of dentistry and dental assisting; introduction to the dental office; the legal aspects of dentistry; policies and guidelines. Clinical Aspects include: introduction to oral anatomy; dental operatory; dental equipment, introduction to tooth structure; primary and permanent teeth; the oral cavity and related structures; proper patient positioning; dental hand-pieces; sterilization; and other areas. In addition to entry-level administrative jobs, this course is ideal for students interested in pursuing a future formal Dental Hygienist program.
National Certification: This program meets the necessary requirements to take the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) Radiology Health and Safety (RHS) Examination. NWCA National Certification: This program meets the necessary requirements to take the National Workforce Career Association (NWCA) Dental Assisting (DACC) exam.
Clinical Externship: As part of this Dental Assisting program, you will be eligible to participate in a 40 hour clinical externship.
Requirements: Dental assistants and aides should have or be pursuing a high school diploma or GED.
