Dental Assisting
Obtain national certification as a dental assistant!
The Dental Assisting program at Bates Technical College prepares students for a rewarding career in a high demand profession in the field of dentistry. If you enjoy working with people, dental assisting could be an excellent career choice for you.
This program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation, and combines study in the classroom, lab and clinical internships. During the 11-month program, students gain valuable skills and knowledge employers are looking for in the dental assistant. Students take the Dental Assisting National Board exam throughout the program to obtain national certification as a dental assistant.
Job opportunities in the field are excellent. Whether you want to work in general dentistry, or any one of the dental specialties, there is a high demand for qualified dental assistants.
Contact Information:
Enrollment Services
253-680-7002
Downtown Campus
7:30AM - 4:00PM
Program Affiliations:
More about the program:
Students prepare for careers as chair side dental assistants, dental office managers, and infection control specialists. The program is designed in accordance with American Dental Association guidelines and is fully accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. After completing industry-specific competencies, students may take the Dental Assisting national board examination to earn nationally recognized credentials as a certified dental assistant. Note: General education requirements must be taken 1) prior to entering the program or, 2) before or after the regularly schedule dental assisting coursework.
Degrees & Certificates:
- Associate of Applied Science: Dental Assisting
- CIP: 51.0601
Program Lengths:
- AAS degree program length: 4 Quarters
Faculty and Other Contact Information:
Note: Information is accurate as of its original posting date. The college reserves the right to edit, change, or update information as needed throughout the year. Up-to-date information is available in Student Services.
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Dental Assisting AAS (90 Credits)
Description: 4-5 quarter AASRequired Courses
Dental Assisting (90 Credits)
Course Code Course Title Course Credits DNTA101 Dental Sciences I 5 DNTA102 Introduction to Chairside Assisting 5 DNTA103 Dental Materials I 4 DNTA112 Biomedical Sciences 5 DNTA115 Chairside Skills 6 DNTA116 Dental Sciences II 4 DNTA117 Dental Materials II 5 DNTA123 Specialty Skills 5 DNTA125 Office Administration 5 DNTA126 Advanced Chairside Skills 6 DNTA135 Practical Lab Applications 3 DNTA144 Dental Radiology 5 DNTA148 Advanced Dental Radiography 5 DNTA151 Clinical Experience I 5 DNTA154 Clinical Experience II 5 DNTA155 Clinical Seminar 2 General Education Requirements
Communications (5 Credits Required)
Course Code Course Title Course Credits ENGL175 Professional Writing 5 ENGL&101 English Composition I 5 ENGL&235 Technical Writing 5 Note: See a Career Advisor prior to choosing courses that meet general education requirements.
Quantitative (5 Credits Required)
Course Code Course Title Course Credits MATH172 Business Math 5 MATH&107 Math in Society 5 MATH&141 Precalculus I 5 MATH&142 Precalculus II 5 MATH&146 Statistics 5 MATH&151 Calculus 5 MATH&152 Calculus II 5 Note: See a Career Advisor prior to choosing courses that meet general education requirements.
Humanities/Social Sciences/Natural Sciences/Other (5 Credits Required)
Course Code Course Title Course Credits BIOL&160 General Biology 5 CMST152 Intercultural Communication 5 CMST&210 Interpersonal Communication 5 CMST&220 Public Speaking 5 HUM&101 Introduction to Humanities 5 POLS&101 Introduction to Political Science 5 PSYC&100 General Psychology 5 PSYC& 200 Lifespan Psychology 5 SOC&101 Introduction to Sociology 5 Note: See a Career Advisor prior to choosing courses that meet general education requirements.
Prerequisites:
- High School diploma or GED
- Minimum age for program entry: 18 years of age
- Pass a clear national and Washington state background check. The background check must be completed prior to registering and paying the $50 college registration fee.
Order your background check at http://www.the-audi-group.com/?page_id=1046.
- Documentary evidence of current immunizations and dental evaluation within two weeks of program start date.
- Documentary evidence of current American Heart Association, Health Care Provider approved CPR card within two weeks of program start date.
- Meet with a Dental Assisting faculty member to receive program-specific required information
At Bates, our tuition is affordable and there are options to help make it even easier to gain an education. Federal aid is available for many of our students. Scholarships are also available through the Bates Foundation.
See if you qualify for other funding through our special funding programs with the Workforce Education office.
- National Median Salary: $48,050
- National Potential Annual Job Openings: 100,000
This information is based on data from O*Net, captured on January 2023.
Accreditation
The BTC Dental Assisting Program is accredited by the commission on Dental Accreditation and has been granted the status of Accreditation without reporting requirements. The Commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. The Commission on Dental Accreditation can be contacted at 312-440-4625 or at 211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611
Program Outcomes
- Provide patient oral health instruction
- Perform clinical supportive treatments
- Model professional behaviors, ethics and appearance
- Apply infection control and safety guidelines in the dental setting
- Collect diagnostic treatment data
- Perform dental laboratory procedures