Dental Assisting

What will I learn?

Students will obtain knowledge in specific areas of dentistry to include:

• Assisting the dentist during a variety of treatment procedures.
• Taking and developing dental radiographs (x-rays).
• Asking about the patient's medical history and taking blood pressure and pulse.
• Serving as an infection control officer, developing infection control protocol, and preparing and sterilizing instruments and equipment.
• Helping patients feel comfortable before, during, and after dental treatment.
• Providing patients with instructions for oral care following surgery or other dental treatment procedures, such as the placement of a restoration (filling).
• Teaching patients appropriate oral hygiene strategies to maintain oral health (e.g., tooth brushing, flossing, and nutritional counseling).
• Taking impressions of patient's teeth for study casts (models of teeth).
• Performing office management tasks that often require the use of a personal computer.
• Communicating with patients and suppliers (e.g., scheduling appointments, answering the telephone, billing, and ordering supplies).
• Helping to provide direct patient care in all dental specialties, including orthodontics, pediatric dentistry, periodontics, and oral surgery.

What can I do with this course of study?

The Associate of Applied Science Degree and/or the level 1 certificate in dental assisting along with the Registered Dental Assistant certificate (upon successful completion of the RDA course and a passing score of 70 or above) will allow the student to pursue employment as a dental assistant in a dental office to include general dentistry or a specialty in dentistry. Students graduating from the Dental Assisting program will have the necessary certificates needed to be part of a successful dental team.

What's special about the program?

As one of eight Dental Assisting Programs in Texas accredited by the American Dental Association (ADA) Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), the program is committed to excellence in helping to meet the diverse needs of both traditional and nontraditional students.