Format: In-person
Time to Complete: 1 Year
Start Term: Fall
Location: Davidson Campus
$38,260-46,140/year ($18.39-22.18/hour)
*Salary information provided by O*Net Online
The Dental Assisting curriculum prepares individuals to assist the dentist in the delivery of dental treatment and to function as integral members of the dental team while performing chairside and related office and laboratory procedures.
The mission of the program is to provide a quality education for the Dental Assisting students to be successful in the program. The faculty and staff will encourage professional and ethical behavior. The program will provide an environment to promote the team concept, lifelong learning, and the development of the skills and attitudes necessary to achieve the student’s goal of becoming a Certified Dental Assistant. The program is offered in the afternoon and evening until the clinical portion of the program. Clinical rotations are offered during daytime typical dental practice hours.
Course work includes instruction in general studies, biomedical sciences, dental sciences, clinical sciences, and clinical practice. A combination of lecture, laboratory, and clinical experiences provide students with knowledge in infection/hazard control, radiography, dental materials, preventive dentistry, and clinical procedures.
Graduates may be eligible to take the Dental Assisting National Board Examination to become Certified Dental Assistants (CDA). As a Dental Assistant II, defined by the Dental Laws of North Carolina, graduates work in dental offices and other related areas.
A Dental Assistant II or CDA can perform all legal expanded functions prescribed by a NC licensed dentist. Some of the many expanded functions a DA II can legally perform are: apply sealants, insert matrix bands and wedges, place cavity bases and liners, place and/or remove rubber dams, place and remove temporary restorations, take impressions and wax bites, remove sutures, expose and process radiographs, perform fluoride application and coronal polish.
Students must be admitted to the Dental Assisting program before enrolling in courses with a DEN prefix.
Applicants for admission to the Dental Assisting program must complete the requirements for admission as described in the Dental Assisting Admission Packet.
Applicants must also attend a mandatory Dental Assisting Applicant Information Session
Dental Assisting Job Shadowing
NOTE: Meeting all admission requirements does not guarantee placement into the Dental Assisting program.
47 Credit Hours: $3,572.00
Books & Fees: $1732.00 (estimated)
Uniforms & Equipment: $ 445.00 (estimated)
Required Immunizations: Costs TBD
Dental Assisting National Board Certification (optional): $450.00-810.00.
The program in dental assisting is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. The Commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education. The Commission on Dental Accreditation can be contacted at 312.440.4653 or at 211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611. The Commission’s web address is http://www.ada.org/en/coda.
Davidson-Davie Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award certificates, diplomas and associate degrees. Questions about the accreditation of Davidson-Davie Community College may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).