Workforce Certificate

Dental Assisting (5649)

LIMTED ACCESS PROGRAM. Dental assistants are versatile members of the dental health team who work alongside the dentist. In many states, dental assistants are assigned patient care responsibilities beyond the duties traditionally performed by the dental auxiliary.

This program provides students with the theoretical, practical and clinical skills including dental basic sciences, dental radiographic techniques, dental materials, sterilization and disease control, chairside assisting, office management, dental specialties and expanded duties. One class is admitted each August.

Expected Job Growth: The demand for dental assistants is expected to grow much faster than average through the 2012. In fact, dental assisting is expected to be one of the fastest growing occupations in the next eight years.

Average Salary: Nationally, median earnings for dental assistants was $13/hour in 2002.

Certification and Licensing:
The Dental Assisting program prepares students for certification in expanded duties and dental radiology.

Accreditation:
The Dental Assisting program has been approved by the Florida Board of Dentistry.

Application Procedure

Submit the following:

1. Official high school transcript or GED® test scores.
2. Scores for the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) with a minimum of 10 in reading, mathematics and language.
3. Completed application form for the dental assisting program.

Curriculum

Professional Courses
*VPI 0100 Reading Skills
*VPI 0200 Mathematical Skills
*VPI 0300 Language Skills

DEA 0745 Radiology I (80/2.5)
DEA 0022 Introduction to Microbiology (32/1)
DEA 0746 Pharmacology and Dental Office Emergencies (32/1)
DES 0103 Dental Materials (64/2)
DES 0020 Dental and Head/Neck Anatomy (48/1.5)
DEA 0023 Preclinical Procedures (112/3.5)
DEA 0001 Clinical Practice I (48/1.5)
HCP 0001 Health Careers Core (90/3)
DEA 0211 Radiology II (64/2)
DES 0044 Oral Pathology (32/1)
DEA 0301 Dental Nutrition (16/.5)
DEA 0311 Dental Heath Education (32/1)
DEA 0801 Expanded Duties (80/2.5)
DES 0501 Practice Mangement (32/1)
DES 0400 Anatomy/Physiology for Dental Assistants (32/1)
**DEA 0029C Clinical Practice II (136/4.5)
DEA 0850C Clinical Practice III (300/10)

Total Credit Hours: 1,230 contact hours/39.5 workforce credits

*Students who have satisfactory test scores are not required to take these courses.
**A current Basic Life Support (CPR) certificate (eight hour course) must be completed prior to registering for DEA 0029C.

Cost
Estimated tuition is $2,140 (for Florida residents as of 7/04).

GED® and GED Testing Service® are registered trademarks of the American Council on Education (ACE). They may not be used or reproduced without the express written permission of ACE or GED Testing Service. The GED® and GED Testing Service® brands are administered by GED Testing Service LLC under license from the American Council on Education.