Certificate in Dental Assisting

If you have good people skills and an interest in the dental field, a career in dental assisting can be interesting and rewarding. As a dental assistant, you work closely patients and dentists to ensure that routine exams and minor surgical procedures run smoothly. Your responsibilities might include sterilizing instruments, taking X-rays and being a chairside assistant to the dentists. Demand for Dental Assistants is high across the country and is expected to grow faster than the average against other occupations through the rest of the decade. And California employs more dental assistants than any other state, while both Washington and California are in the top ten for states with the highest paid Dental Assistant salaries.

• Upon successful completion of this Dental Assisting program, you will be able to:
• Perform the clinical skills, diagnostic procedures, and appropriate operational functions of dental assisting as defined by state and local regulations and/or licensure requirements
• Understand environmental issues, including bloodborne pathogens, as they relate to infection control and dentistry
• Demonstrate skills and attitudes that contribute to safe working conditions in the dental office
• Expose, process, mount, and evaluate diagnostic radiographs
• Understand the knowledge, skills, and professional behavior necessary to perform as a competent entry level dental assistant in a variety of settings
• Identify and describe the legal and ethical standards, guidelines, and regulations pertinent to the dental field and dental assisting
• Demonstrate the importance of professionalism, communication, and collaboration skills in the professional setting
• Perform appropriate administrative tasks effectively

The Certificate in Dental Assisting program provides you with the knowledge and technical skills you need to find an entry-level position as a Dental Assistant. In classrooms and labs, you will learn how to perform preventative dentistry, take and process X-rays, control infections, manage a dental office, and use computer technology to enhance your potential for employment. In addition, you will complete assignments such as reading, exercises, problem solving, projects, research, papers, and presentations.

• Dental Office Administrative Procedures
• Orthodontics and Prosthodontics
• Dental Emergency Procedures
• Preventative Dentistry
• Radiography
• Dental Sciences
• Dental Care Delivery and Techniques

As part of the Dental Assisting training program, you are required to complete a 180-hour externship program at a local dental office (depending on campus).

In as little as 10 months, you can get started on a rewarding career as a Dental Assistant. Charter College starts classes every five weeks providing unparalleled flexibility, and our unique learning approach helps you to graduate on time.

The Certificate in Dental Assisting program is available in a blended learning format. The combination of classroom and online learning gives you the flexibility to balance your classwork with family, work, and other commitments.