Dental Assisting Diploma Program
DA12 -202312
Program Description
The Dental Assisting certificate and diploma programs prepare students for employment in a variety of positions within today's dental offices. These programs introduce, develop, and reinforce the academic knowledge, technical skills, and professional attitudes necessary for employment, job retention, and career advancement in the dental field.
In addition, the program provides students with opportunities to expand their knowledge and clinical skill while earning the Georgia Expanded Duties certification and radiology certification. Students who complete the Dental Assisting diploma program receive additional preparation for the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) exam and gain valuable hands-on experience through an additional clinical rotation that provides increased clinical hours.
Program Specific Information
Students are accepted every semester into core courses based on course and space availability. To be considered for an upcoming class, students must attend an information session. Please review the Information Session document for dates and times of the online sessions.
Students enrolled in the Dental Assisting certificate and diploma programs must complete all courses listed on the Graduation Plan with a grade of "C" or higher to graduate.
All occupational coursework cohorts for the certificate and diploma programs begin each Fall semester.
The certificate programs are offered sequentially, beginning with Beginning Dental Assisting certificate followed by the Advanced Dental Assisting certificate. Students must successfully complete all courses in the Beginning Dental Assisting Certificate before advancing to the Advanced Dental Assisting certificate program.
Industry Certification Preparation
Diploma students will receive preparation for the Dental Assisting National Board Examination and Georgia Dental Association Expanded Duties registration.
Program Length & Availability
Basic Dental Assisting Certificate- 1 Semester
Advanced Dental Assisting Certificate- 2 Semesters
Diploma Program- 5 Semesters
Campus Availability- Hall
Financial Aid
The Denal Assisting Program is eligible for the Pell Grant and may also qualify for Institutional and state financial aid.
Students should contact a Financial Aid Counselor for eligibility requirements and application materials.
Admissions Requirements
Must be 17 years of age.
A high school diploma or GED is required for admission to the Dental Assisting diploma program.
(Official transcripts or GED scores must be submitted from all colleges and/or high schools attended for credit.)
ACCUPLACER testing or submission of SAT, ACT, COMPASS, or ASSET test scores is required.
Dental Assisting Admissions Policy
GETTING STARTED
When applying to the college, students interested in the Dental Assisting diploma program should select Dental Assisting as their program of study. The Admissions Department will initially admit students into the Health Care Assistant Technical Certificate of Credit (TCC) while they complete core coursework or await the start of the Dental Assisting certificate or diploma, which begins each Fall Semester.
To be considered for admission into the Dental Assisting program, students must attend a Dental Assisting information session. At the conclusion of the session, students will receive a Dental Assisting Occupational Coursework Application. Students are encouraged to complete and submit the application as soon as possible to increase their opportunity for acceptance into the Dental Assisting certificate or diploma program. Admission is granted on a first-come, first-served basis.
HOW STUDENTS ARE ACCEPTED
The Dental Assisting program accepts a maximum of 21 students on a first-come, first-served basis. Students are ranked according to the date their Occupational Coursework Application is submitted. Applicants are notified of their acceptance by the midpoint of the semester prior to beginning occupational coursework. Upon acceptance, students will receive an email notification from the Admissions Department confirming their admission into the Dental Assisting program.
REQUIREMENTS FOR ACCEPTANCE
To be considered for acceptance into the program, students must attend a mandatory information session and submit the Occupational Coursework Application before the end of Spring Semester. Information sessions are held annually between November and June. Students should refer to the Dental Assisting webpage for the information session calendar with upcoming dates and times.
Students must maintain current American Heart Association Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers CPR certification. A copy of the CPR card must be submitted on the first day of class.
Students enrolled in the Dental Assisting diploma program must complete five (5) core classes in addition to the occupational coursework: ALHS 1011, COMP 1000, ENGL 1010, PSYC 1010 and MATH 1012.
Students with prior college coursework must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher before the beginning of Fall Semester.
NOTIFICATION OF ACCEPTANCE
Students will be notified of their acceptance via email before the midpoint of the summer semester. Students accepted into the program are required to attend a mandatory program orientation before beginning the Dental Assisting program. The Program Administrator will email accepted students with the date, time and additional details regarding orientation.
*Meeting the minimum program criteria does not guarantee acceptance into the program.
Curriculum
Basic Skills – Total of 9 Hours
Program-Specific Core – Total of 45 Hours
Total Credit Hours: 54
Graduation requirement includes completion of a total of 54 hours in the above areas.
Graduation Plan
Semester One
ENGL 1010 - Pre-Req: Test Scores – See Advisor
Semester Two
MATH 1012 - Pre-Req: Test Scores – See Advisor
Semester Three
| DENA 1050 | Microbiology Infection Control | 3 |
| DENA 1080 | Dental Anatomy | 4 |
| DENA 1340 | Dental Assisting I - General Chairside | 6 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 13 |
Semester Four
Semester Five
Apply for Graduation
Total Credit Hours: 54
This plan is for informational purposes ONLY. It is not a substitute for meeting with a program advisor each term.
**Program requires 50 hours; however, the Human Anatomy Requirement option, ALHS 1011, adds four credit hours, for a total of 54 credit hours.