Dental Assistant - Certificate

Designed to prepare students for positions in the dental assistant field.

Provides a foundation of knowledge of dental sciences, dental assisting skills, dental materials, dental laboratory procedures, radiography, infection control, and office management skills.

Students will develop an understanding of the role of the dental assistant within the dental care team. Graduates are qualified for entry-level positions, expanded-duties dental assistants, and coordinating assistants in the dental office.

This program is accredited through the American Dental Association (ADA).

The last Friday in each of the final three quarters of study, students will be required to take one of the three components of the Dental Assistant National Board (DANB) Certification Examination. Completion of the appropriate component of the exam will be a prerequisite for continuation into the third and fourth quarters of study in the Dental Assistant program.

In addition, successful completion of the first component (Infection Control), completed at the end of the second quarter of study, is a prerequisite to entering the fourth quarter, clinical experience. The second and third components of the exam are requirements for graduation from the program and when successfully completed, will result in the student receiving his or her national certification from DANB entitling him or her to use the title of Certified Dental Assistant.

Included in this program are academic courses in communication (English composition, speech), quantitative reasoning (math) and social sciences (psychology, sociology) that provide knowledge and abilities upon which technical skills are built and enhance personal development. Each student is strongly encouraged to carry personal health/medical insurance throughout their clinical rotations. Quarterly based insurance for students may be purchased; further information is available through the counseling office.

This program is approximately five quarters in length, depending on the time students need to satisfactorily complete all graduation requirements. Students pursuing an AAT or AAS-T degree must complete all college degree requirements prior to graduation. This includes courses that meet the capstone project, diversity, and computer literacy requirements.

Prerequisites: Prospective students must complete all items in the Program Requirement Packet prior to being eligible to register for Dental Assistant courses.  This includes documentation of current immunizations or laboratory verification of immune status. This includes, but is not limited to, Hepatitis B series including a positive titer, Tetanus/ Diphtheria, Tuberculosis Test, Measles/ Mumps/Rubella, and Varicella as required by contracts with clinical facilities and CDC recommendations. Students must have a current Basic Life Support (CPR) card for healthcare providers, a First Aid card, and a current dental examination form completed by their dentist.

To enter the program, a student must be eligible to take Math 91 during the first quarter of the program, and college-level English and psychology or another social science or humanities course. The Program Requirement Packet can be downloaded from the Dental Assistant page on the CPTC website.

In order to participate in the externship, students must have all general education requirements completed and receive a “No Record On File” report from the Washington State Patrol, related to Crimes Against Persons. Students must be at least 18 years of age and have a high school diploma or GED (per ADA standards).

Admission Dates: Fall and Spring quarters

Program Requirements

To review course descriptions, please click here.