Course Catalog

W1 Orientation to the Dental Office

This unit will provide students with information concerning the roles of the dental team including dentists, registered dental hygienists, dental assistants, and dental laboratory technicians. Information is also given on the major areas of the dental office and major pieces of equipment will be explored. The dental specialties are introduced in this module.

W2 Disinfection, Treatment Room Care, and Sterilization

This unit will provide students with information and practice regarding sterilization and disinfection, OSHA standards, infectious materials and instrument and treatment room care.

W3 Oral Impressions

In this unit diagnostic materials will be explored. This will include use and construction of custom impression trays, alginate impression, pouring up and trimming casts. Also in this unit, students will learn how to make a custom night-guard and bleaching trays. Landmarks of the mouth will be learned in this unit.

W4 Oral Evacuation, Instrument Transfer and Moisture Control

Students will learn to place and remove rubber dams, perform mouth rinses, place and remove cotton rolls, and instrument transfer.

W5 Dental Radiography: Safety and Techniques

In this unit, students will be introduced to safe x-rays techniques and the corresponding processing and developing of these images. Students will continue to practice these techniques during the remainder of the course.

Preventive Treatments

Students will learn to place sealants and perform other procedures in preventive dentistry.

W6 Assisting in Restorative Dentistry

In this unit, students will learn about patient care and care of sharp materials during anesthesia administration. Students will also learn how to assemble a syringe and assist with placement of composite fillings.

W7 Provisional Coverage

Students will learn to fabricate and place provisional coverage.

W8 Dental Specialties

Students will learn how to assist during oral surgery, root canals, scaling and root planing and the placement of dentures. Students will also learn how to remove sutures.

Facilities and Equipment

The dental assisting classes will be held in a fully equipped modern operating dental office. Students will have access to:

Air/Water Syringe
Autoclave
Dental Lathe
Dexter Mannequins
Handpieces (High Speed and Low Speed DentalTurbines)
Instruments
Curing Lights
Model Vibrators & Trimmers
Typodonts
Ultrasonic Cleaning Unit
Periapical and Bitewings X-Ray Unit
Panoramic X-Ray Unit

Program Outline

Each course consists of 8-weeks of training (144 hours of classroom & clinical instruction + a 32-hour externship). Our experienced Instructors work off a curriculum that covers all the basic facets of dentistry; General Dentistry (including both adult and pediatric dentistry), Oral Surgery, IV Sedation, Endodontics and Orthodontics. Our students experience all these specialties in a working dental office. Classes are once a week, for 8 weeks. Current classes are every Saturday/Sunday from 9am to 5pm, allowing students to hold a full-time job, if needed.

Following the 8-week course, we provide students the opportunity to complete their 32-hour externship in one of our clinics before awarding a Certificate of Completion.