Dental Assistant Programs

Dental Assistant

Locations Offered: Modesto
Delivery Method: Traditional

Certificate Program

In this program, students learn front-office and back-office skills performed by dental assistants. Major topics include:

The Dental Practice Act.
Dental office administration.
Emergency procedures.
Chairside assisting.
Effective infection control and bloodborne pathogens standard.
Radiology.
Coronal polishing.
Pit and fissure sealants.
Effective interpersonal communication.

This program prepares students for careers in dental assisting in various settings, including general and specialty practices, community dental clinics, and hospitals.

The students will graduate with the following Dental Board Approved Certificates required for employment as a Dental Assistant and are also requirements when applying for the RDA (Registered Dental Assistant) State Licensure examination.

Demonstrate knowledge of healthcare delivery systems.
Exhibit familiarity with the healthcare-associated operational and financial aspects.
Coronal Polish Certificate (Practice is dependent upon successful passage of RDA state licensure)
Pit and Fissure Sealant Certificate (Practice is dependent upon successful passage of RDA state licensure)

Pit and Fissure Sealant Certificate

(Practice is dependent upon successful passage of RDA state licensure)

Upon satisfactory completion of this program, students should be prepared to:

Use dental terminology as appropriate to the situation.
Demonstrate competence with compliance to HIPAA standards and OSHA guidelines in the dental office, including standard precautions and principles of asepsis.
Perform dental office administrative tasks professionally, ethically, and proficiently, including the use of dental software, standard office applications, and the Internet.

Perform basic chairside skills and clinical support required for a general or specialty dental practice, including identifying facial landmarks, charting existing conditions of the teeth and their diagnosed treatment, manipulating and handling dental materials proficiently, and fabricating a variety of temporary restorations.
Satisfactorily complete CPR training according to the American Heart Association standards.
Demonstrate competence in coronal polishing, sealant application, and taking full-mouth sets of clinically diagnosable x-rays observing radiation safety standards.

The students will graduate with the following Dental Board Approved Certificates that are required for employment as a Dental Assistant and are also requirements when applying for the RDA (Registered Dental Assistant) State Licensure examination.

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Course No.	Course Name	Lecture Hours	Lab Hours	Work-Based Activity Hours	Total Hours / Credits
DENT 100	Introduction to Dental Science, Infection Control and Dental Office Emergencies	50	50		100/7.5
DENT 110	Dental Assisting Chairside Concepts	50	50		100/7.5
DENT 120	Dental Office Materials	50	50		100/7.5
DENT 130	Dental Radiation Safety	50	50		100/7.5
DENT 140	Dental Assisting Specialties	50	50		100/7.5
DENT 150	Dental Practice Front Office Administration	50	50		100/7.5
DENT 160	Coronal Polish and Pit and Fissure Sealants	50	50		100/7.5
DENT 200	Dental Assisting Externship			200	200/6.6
TOTAL HOURS		350	350	200	900/59*

*Per COE Policies and Procedures: The policy of the Commission is that the conversion of clock hours to credit hours for individual courses may be calculated to include a fraction or decimal but must not be inflated by rounding up. The sum of the course credit hours for a program must equal a whole number without rounding up.