Dental assisting
Our dental assisting diploma program prepares students for entry-level positions as a chair-side dental assistant or dental business office assistant. In this program, you’ll learn a wide range of topics, from anatomy and physiology and patient care, as well as basics of healthcare laws and regulations and general dental office administration and management.
What Does A Dental Assistant Do?
According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Dental Assistant’s duties include patient care, recordkeeping, and appointment scheduling. Dental Assistants may perform some or all of the following duties¹:
- Ensure that patients are comfortable in the dental chair
- Prepare patients and the work area for treatments and procedures
- Sterilize dental instruments
- Hand instruments to dentists during procedures
- Dry patients’ mouths using suction hoses and other equipment
- Instruct patients in proper oral hygiene
- Process x rays and complete lab tasks, under the direction of a dentist
- Keep records of dental treatments
- Schedule patient appointments
- Work with patients on billing and payment
Blue Cliff College’s Dental Assistant training program offers you technical knowledge and hands-on skills you may need to start your Dental Assistant career.
How Long Is Dental Assistant Training?
The normal completion time for the day program is eleven months. The normal completion time for the evening program is fifteen months. Upon successful completion of the program and all other graduation requirements, a diploma in Dental Assisting will be awarded.
There is an externship component as a culminating course that enables the student to be placed in an actual supervised dental office setting. The student will be encouraged to attain Louisiana’s “Expanded Duty Dental Assistant” certification upon graduation.
Mississippi students are required by the Mississippi State Board of Examiners to obtain a valid Mississippi Radiology Permit prior to exposing radiographs. Due to there being an externship component included in the curriculum, students will be required to obtain a permit prior to Externship.
What Will You Learn In Dental Assistant Training?
Our Dental Assisting training consists of (but is not limited to) learning daily tasks such as instrument sterilization, four-handed dentistry, impressions, model trimming, charting, and dental reception skills. By enrolling in our Dental Assisting program, you’ll have the opportunity to build a solid foundation in the following courses:
- Introduction to Dental Assisting Lecture
- Introduction to Dental Assisting Lab
- Dental Science 1
- Preclinical and Chair-side Dental Assisting 1
- Preclinical and Chair-side Dental Assisting 2
- Dental Materials 3
- Nutrition and Dental Health
- Dental Materials 1a
- Dental Materials 1b
- Dental Science 2
- Dental Materials 2a
- Dental Materials 2b
- Dental Radiology a
- Dental Radiology b
- Dental Office Management
- Dental Assisting Externship
- Healthcare Compliance
- Therapeutic Communication
At Blue Cliff College, our dental assisting curriculum is designed with your future in mind. With these classes under your belt, you could be better prepared to tackle the dental assistant world and build a career you could be proud of.
Where Do Dental Assistants Work?
According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, Dental Assistants typically work full time and some work evenings and weekends². The top three employers of dental assistants are:
- 90% – Dentist Office
- 2% – Physicians Office
- 2% – Government
After Dental Assistant School, the majority of graduates go to work in a Dentist’s Office.
What Is The Job Outlook For Dental Assistants?
The U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment for Dental Assistants to grow 11 percent from 2020 to 2030³.
What is the Total Cost of the Dental Assistant Program?
| Day Classes | Night Classes | |
|---|---|---|
|
Program Length: |
12 Months |
15 Months |
|
Tuition: |
$18,615 |
$18,615 |
|
Supplies & Fees *: |
$2,257 |
$2,257 |
|
Estimated Total: |
$20,872 |
$20,872 |
Effective July 10th
**For a list of books associated with this program, ISBN, and price click here.
Program availability and times vary by campus | Financial Aid is available for those that qualify
Dental Assistant Training Near Me
Blue Cliff College offers the Dental Assistant program at the following campus locations:
More About Careers In Dental Assistant
For more information about a career as a Dental Assistant, please visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s O*NET website.
Standard Occupational Code (SOC): 31-9091.00 – Dental Assistants
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP): 51.0601 – Dental Assisting/Assistant
Program Specific Application Requirements
The Blue Cliff College curriculum and competencies follow the guidelines issued by the Louisiana State Board of Dentistry.
If you’re a Mississippi student, you will be required by the Mississippi State Board of Examiners to obtain a valid Mississippi Radiology Permit prior to exposing radiographs. Being that our program requires an externship, our students will have to obtain a permit prior. For more information regarding this, please contact the Gulfport campus.
Dental Assistant Licensing and Accreditation Information
When you are checking out dental assisting schools, make sure you are checking licensing and accreditation information. Blue Cliff College maintains current certification and accreditation so you know you’re learning skills that are valued in your field. We are:
- Licensed by the Louisiana State Board of Regents
- Licensed by the Mississippi Commission on Proprietary School and College Registration. Certificate No. C-736
- Accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC)‡
‡The Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges, (ACCSC) is a recognized accrediting agency by the US Department of Education.
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