Dental Assisting Diploma

DA12

Availability: Marietta Campus

Please see a Health Sciences Advisor for more information about the availability of this program. 

Program Purpose: The Dental Assisting accredited program prepares students for employment in various positions in today’s dental offices.  The Dental Assisting program provides learning opportunities that introduce, develop, and reinforce academic and occupational knowledge, skills, and attitudes required for job acquisition, retention and advancement.  Additionally, the program provides opportunities to upgrade present knowledge and skills or to retrain in the area of Dental Assisting. Graduates of the program receive a Dental Assisting Diploma and are eligible to earn the Georgia Expanded Duties certification and may take the Dental Assisting National Board examination.

Program Length: A full-time student who has successfully completed all pre-requisite courses with a C or better and who has been admitted into the Dental Assisting program can complete the Dental Assisting Diploma in three semesters.

Admission Requirements: Students must meet all admission requirements of the college and have reached the age of 16. Students who intend to apply for the Dental Assisting program’s diploma must enroll in the college’s Health Care Assistant Certificate program or Interdisciplinary Studies- Health Track to complete diploma level pre-requisite courses.  All certificate seeking students need only to apply for the appropriate certificate after meeting all admission requirements of the college.

Admission into the Dental Assisting program is based on a first come, first served basis, and the program does not maintain a waiting list. Please consult the Dental Assisting web page on the college’s website for specific program admission information.

Diploma Requirements

Basic Skills (General Core) Courses - Area I

Language Arts/Communication

ENGL 1010Fundamentals of English I

3

Basic Skills (General Core) Courses - Area II

Social/Behavioral Sciences

PSYC 1010Basic Psychology

3

Basic Skills (General Core) Courses - Area III

Natural Sciences/Mathematics

MATH 1012Foundations of Mathematics

3

Dental Assisting Courses

Students must achieve a grade of C or better and complete all competencies successfully in Dental Assisting Courses in order to pass the course.

DENA 1030Preventive Dentistry

1

DENA 1050Microbiology and Infection Control

3

DENA 1070Oral Pathology and Pharmacology

2

DENA 1080Dental Anatomy

4

DENA 1090Dental Assisting National Board Examination Preparation

1

DENA 1340Dental Assisting I: General Chairside

6

DENA 1350Dental Assisting II: Dental Specialties and EFDA Skills

7

DENA 1390Dental Radiology

4

DENA 1400Dental Practice Management

2

DENA 1460Dental Practicum I

1

DENA 1470Dental Practicum II

1

DENA 1480Dental Practicum III

5

Elective Course

COMP 1000Introduction to Computer Literacy

3

Occupational Course

ALHS 1011Structure and Function of the Human Body

5

or

DENA 1010Basic Human Body

1

Total Credit Hours: 50-54