Certified Dental Assisting

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Program Overview

ANNOUNCEMENTS: 

We encourage you to submit your Certified Dental Assisting Application at any time throughout the year.  Once your application is received, one of our instructors will contact you and set up a time to meet.   You will be able to ask questions, get program-specific advising, and get started! (Updated 11-12-12)

WHAT IF you had a fulfilling career as a Certified Dental Assistant where your influence and expertise positively affected patient lives on a daily basis?

Do you enjoy working with people, have an eye for detail, and want to improve the quality of life for others?  If so, certified dental assisting may be the career for you. As a certified dental assistant, you will have the opportunity to interact with people on a daily basis as you support dentists with various types of patient care, office duties, and laboratory work. Training can be completed in just 11 months, but is contingent on completing clinical hours.

What is the outlook for job opportunities and pay?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for Certified Dental Assistants is expected to increase up to 31% between the years 2010-2020.  The national median annual salary for Dental Assistants in 2011 was $34,140.

What will you learn to do?

  • Assist in chair-side duties—pass instruments and medication
  • Maintain treatment rooms and assist in dental care delivery
  • Take and process x-rays
  • Sterilize and maintain instruments
  • Pour models of teeth
  • Prepare dental materials and mix restorative materials
  • Arrange appointments
  • Manage the dental office and perform bookkeeping
  • Promote oral hygiene and public health
  • Understand and use dental terminology
  • Communicate professionally, both in writing and in person

What kind of degree(s) can you earn?

  • In order to obtain your Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Dental Assisting you will need to complete your Technical Certificate and then complete two additional semesters for your AAS. Graduates are eligible to take the certification exam given by the Dental Assisting National Board and the five Idaho Expanded Function Exams (Pit and Fissure Sealants, Coronal Polishing, Fabricating Temporary Crowns, Polishing Restorations, and Nitrous Oxide).

  • In order to obtain your Technical Certificate (TC) in Dental Assisting you will need to complete dental and general education courses in three semesters (approximately 11 months). Graduates are eligible to take the certification exam given by the Dental Assisting National Board and the five Idaho Expanded Function Exams (Pit and Fissure Sealants, Coronal Polishing, Fabricating Temporary Crowns, Polishing Restorations and Nitrous Oxide).

What else should you know?

Graduates are eligible to take the certification exam given by the Dental Assisting National Board and the five Idaho Expanded Function Exams.

When does the Certified Dental Assisting program start?

The Certified Dental Assisting program officially starts once a year in the fall semester.  However, there is a “soft start” option for our spring semester.   Our “soft start” option allows you to ease into the program by taking DENT 100, DENT 108 and DENT 150 while continuing to complete your required general education courses (COMM 101 or ENGL 101, GE Math & PSYC 101).

We encourage you to submit your Certified Dental Assisting Application at any time throughout the year.  Once your application is received, one of our instructors will contact you and set up a time to meet.   You will be able to ask questions, get program-specific advising, and get started!

Requirements

Degree Plan

How do I get started in the Dental Assisting program?
Complete the admission requirements to College of Western Idaho.

Students must turn in their Certified Dental Assisting Application  to a One Stop Student Services location before they can register and be accepted into the program. This application consists of the following: 1) Three Professional Reference Forms – one of them being from a dental professional after a ½ day of job shadowing. 2) Physical Exam, Immunization Documentation and Dental Exam Documentation. The physical and dental exam documentation must be completed within six months of application. 3) A short essay stating why you are interested in a career in Dental Assisting.

You must submit a recent Compass Assessment to CWI in order to apply to the program unless you have completed college-level math and writing courses.   The minimum required Compass scores needed at application are: Pre-Algebra Compass - at least 53 or an Algebra Compass – of at least 26; Reading Compass - at least 80; and English Compass - at least 70.

You must complete the following courses before you can graduate from the Dental Assisting Program at CWI - COMM 101 or ENG 101, MATH 123 and PSYC 101. However, if you haven’t completed all of these courses, you can submit your Compass Scores with your application and our faculty will be available to advise and assist you on the correct path to admittance to our program. 

If you have completed some of the courses listed above and submit your application, you may be eligible to continue your general education courses (COMM 101 or ENG 101, MATH 123 and PSYC 101) while at the same time begin completing Certificated Dental Assisting courses such as DENT 150, DENT 100 and DENT 109. 

Once you submit your Certified Dental Assisting Application, our friendly and knowledgeable faculty can assist you to realize your goal of becoming a Certified Dental Assistant!

If you need a brush-up on your computers skills, CISA 101- Computer Literacy Skill Development is a course designed to help students develop their skills.

What will I need for Dental Clinical Assignments?

  • Current CPR Certification
  • First Aid Certification
  • Criminal Background Check (Once admitted into the Dental Assisting Program, you will receive instructions on submitting your request for a background check.  Confirmation of the request for a background check will be required and costs $45.00 to $50.00.)

Instructor Info

Program Chair:
Elaine Laursen
208.562.2317
elainelaursen@cwidaho.cc

Assistant Professor:
Monica Satake
208.562.2316
monicasatake@cwidaho.cc

 

Career Info

What kind of career can you expect?

Dental assisting is a rewarding career. Entry-level positions include chair-side assistant, front office assistant, specialty assistant, and expanded function assistant. For those who invest energy and effort into their role as dental assistant, there are excellent opportunities for advancement. A career in certified dental assisting offers a great deal of personal satisfaction and fulfillment for those who enjoy the work.

What skills, traits, or prep classes would be helpful?

  • Excellent written and oral communication skills
  • A desire to serve others
  • Manual dexterity in both hands
  • Exactness and precise attention to detail
  • Computer Literacy Skills
  • Health-oriented professional image

Gainful Employment Disclosure Information

Program Name: Certified Dental Assisting
CIP Code: 51.0601
College OEPID: 04211800
Technical Certificate
Program Cost
Tuition and Fees $5,460
Books and Supplies $1,546
General Tuition and Fee Information http://cwidaho.cc/current-students/tuition-and-fees
Program Length & Completion Rates
Completion Rate
Number of Graduates
Number of Graduates within Normal Time
Number of Semesters 3
Occupations Related to this Program and Placement Rate
Placement Rate
Occupations
Median Debt Info
Median Federal Student Loan Debt
Median Institutional Financing Plan Debt
Median Private Loan Debt

*Based on 2011-2012 tuition and fee schedule. Tuition and fees are subject to change.
***From July 1, 2010 until June 30, 2011
NR If the number of students who completed the program during the award year was less than 10, for privacy reasons, this information is not disclosed to the public.
Gainful Employment Programs Master List
Federal Title IV regulations require institutions of higher education to disclose cost, completion, placement, and student debt information about non-degree programs leading to gainful employment in a recognized occupation. 

Gainful Employment programs include programs that do not lead to a degree, that are not fully transferable to a bachelor's degree program, or that are not considered to be basic skills or preparatory course work for enrollment in an eligible program.

Recognized Occupations are those identified by a federal Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code established by the Office of Management and Budget, by an Occupational Network (O*NET-SOC) code established by the U.S. Department of Labor, or those determined by the U.S. Secretary of Education in consultation with the U.S. Secretary of Labor.

  • College OEPID - U.S. Department of Education's Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) identification number for the College.
  • CIP Code - Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) - taxonomic coding scheme for postsecondary instructional programs/fields of study.
  • Program Length in Semesters - Published program lengths are traditionally stated in terms of the number of semesters and assume full-time attendance; 4.5 months per regular semester.
  • Program Cost - Total estimated program cost (not annual or per semester).
  • Tuition and Fees - Estimated amount of tuition and fees charged to students for completing the entire program within normal time and assuming full-time attendance; based on 2011-2012 in-district tuition and fees (all fees that are required for all students in a particular program in order to graduate). Tuition and fees are subject to change.
  • Books and Supplies - Total estimated cost for books and supplies (not annual or per semester).
  • Normal Time of Completion - The normal time in semesters to complete the program as published in the catalog, assuming full-time enrollment.
  • Number of Graduates Within Normal Time - Number of students who completed the program between July 1 2010 and June 30 2011 within the normal time.
  • Graduates - Number of students who completed all program requirements between July 1 2010 and June 30 2011. Rates are not disclosed for programs with fewer than ten graduates in the award year.
  • Completion Rate - The percentage of students who completed the program within normal time out of the total number of students who completed the program.
  • Median Cumulative Student Loan Debt at Program Completion - The Median Cumulative Debt per loan category for students who completed the program between July 1 2010 and June 30 2011 with any student loan debt.
  • Federal Student Loan Debt - Includes all Title IV student loans, such as Stafford (subsidized and unsubsidized). Does not include PLUS and other loans made directly to parents.
  • Private Loan Debt - Expenses to the student borrower, regardless of whether the loan was provided through the College or directly to the student from the private educational lender.
  • Placement Rate - The placement rate for program completers.

Who is included and to what agency is this rate reported?

The program completer data included in this report are based on the information submitted July 1, 2011 to the Idaho Professional Technical Education (PTE) in the1045Y report as required to participate in the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins) program.  The reporting calendar for the 1045Y was June 16, 2010 thru June15, 2011. 

Numerator: includes completers submitted in the report who are considered as positive placement as defined by the PTE.  These categories include:  enrolled in the military, employed in a field related to training, employed in a field unrelated to training, or pursuing additional education. 

Denominator:  includes all program completers submitted in the report.

What type of job placement is being reported?

The job placement rate includes those reported as being enrolled in the Military, Employed in their field, Employed in unrelated field, and Pursuing additional education.

When were they employed and how were graduates tracked?

Follow-up data collection begins each semester when student degree status is conferred on their transcripts.  Placement data is collected within 180 days of their conferred date.  This information is collected by a variety of means including: “Exit Interview” forms, phone calls, mailed survey (2% returned completed), on-line survey (0% completed), instructor forwarded information from students.

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