Dental Assistant

Diploma

Dentists are busier than ever as they try to keep up with a growing and aging population and increased demand for dental care in the United States. In fact, dental assisting is projected to be among the fastest-growing occupations in the nation through 2018.* At Kaplan College, you can get the education and hands-on training required to start your career in dental assisting.

If you want to become an integral part of a dental practice, our Dental Assistant Diploma can provide you with the necessary training, knowledge, and skills. You can learn how to perform duties such as radiographs, instrument sterilization, tray setups, four-handed dentistry, equipment maintenance, impressions, model trimming, charting, and dental reception duties. We offer classes both in the mornings and afternoons so you have the flexibility to meet the demands of your family, work, and education.

Dental Assistant Program Features

Our innovative curriculum offers hands-on training to help you develop the skills required to succeed on the job as soon as you graduate. In addition to office management and communications, records management and ethics, and an introduction to basic computer skills, you will have the opportunity to master skills in:

• Chairside assisting, including handling dental instruments, controlling infection, and planning treatment in the eight specialty areas of dentistry
• Handling dental emergencies, such as an abscessed tooth, alveolitis, or a broken tooth or prosthesis
• Identifying structures of the oral cavity, the different types of teeth, and universal codes for each tooth
• Performing dental radiology (if certified)† and safety procedures
• Preventive dentistry, including coronal polishing, fluoride, and applying pit and fissure sealants†

Dental Assistant Education

Kaplan College is proud to offer a Dental Assistant Diploma program that is market-driven with specific curriculum that best serves local employment needs. When you earn your diploma at Kaplan College, you not only learn how to become a dental assistant, you learn skills that you can apply to your everyday life. The objective of the dental assistant program is to prepare you to work as an integral member of the dental health team and to perform chairside assisting and related office and lab procedures under the direct supervision of a dentist. Before you graduate, you will be required to complete an externship at a general dental office clinic, hospital, or other dental facility where you can actively participate in patient care.

What Does a Dental Assistant Do?

The duties of a dental assistant are diverse, all designed to support the dentist. Thus, at Kaplan College you will have the opportunity to learn to perform a broad range of daily activities including:

• Caring for patients in the treatment room
• Taking dental x-rays
• Taking impressions of patients' teeth
• Teaching preventive dentistry to patients
• Assisting with oral surgery
• Performing oral evacuation
• Infection control and sterilization

Administrative Skills Training

Most dental assistants also have administrative responsibilities that help maintain an efficient, profitable dental office. Your training will include classes in dental office procedures such as taking inventory, managing patient records, and communicating verbally and in written correspondence.

Potential Career Opportunities

When you graduate from Kaplan College with your Dental Assistant Diploma, you can apply for an entry-level position in dental group practices, public and private hospitals, public health institutions, clinics, dental insurance agencies, and for dental product distributors. Dental assistants can continue to grow in their careers and become office managers, enter a dental sales position, or obtain a position at a research facility or insurance company.

If you choose to become nationally certified, you will need to take the Dental Assisting National Board's (DANB) Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) examination to demonstrate competence in dental assisting skills.†