Dental Assistant

SENIORS ONLY:

This program only accepts high school seniors. Juniors are encouraged to enroll in Introduction to Health Careers.

Location: CTEC

Program Description

Dental Assisting is an exciting and rewarding career. Working as a dental assistant never gets old, as there is always something new to learn and always another technology to master. CTEC’s Dental Assistant program delivers career-focused instruction. You will learn how to perform duties such as patient care, radiology, sterilization, tray set-ups, equipment maintenance, charting, and front office duties. Students are prepared for an entry-level position as unlicensed dental assistants upon successfully completing this program.

DENTAL ASSISTANT STUDENTS LEARN:

Procedures for taking vital signs
Chairside assisting
Instrumentation
Mixing cements
Taking and pouring up study models and opposing impressions
Restorative procedures/specialty procedures
Preventative dentistry
Head and neck anatomy/ tooth anatomy
Medical emergencies
Charting
Tooth Identification
Radiology
Sterilization
CPR/BLS

PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES:

Certifications offered to students completing the Dental Assistant program include:

Dental Assistant Certificate of Completion
CPR certificate (American Heart Association)
Radiology certification
8 Hour Infection Control certificate
HIPAA certificate

ENROLLMENT PREREQUISITES HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE:

Students earn 15 elective units each semester toward their high school graduation.

College prep course. A-G approved. Meets area “G” approval for UC and CSU admissions.

CAREER PATHWAYS AND RELATED OCCUPATIONS:

This is a career awareness class that instructs students on the basics necessary for entry-level employment. Successful Dental Assisting students often pursue careers in the following:

Registered Dental Assistant
Registered Dental Hygienist
Registered Dental Assistant EF
Sterilization Technician
Dental Lab Technician
Dentist
Front Office Dental Staff