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Note: In addition to the membership application above (“Apply for this Program Now”), students must also follow the Application Procedure for this program.
Workforce Certificate
The Career
Dental assistants are versatile members of the dental health team who work alongside the dentist in providing patient care. The varying roles of the dental assistant include chairside assisting, front office management, and assisting in a dental specialty office.
The Program
This program provides students with the theoretical, practical and clinical skills necessary to get an entry-level position in a dental office, including dental basic sciences, dental radiographic techniques, dental materials, sterilization and infection control, chairside assisting, office management, dental specialties and expanded duties. The Dental Assisting Program has been approved by the Florida Board of Dentistry to offer certification in expanded duties and dental radiology. One class is admitted each August.
Internships/Rotations
Your clinical rotations are scheduled in private dental offices and clinics, including specialty practices such as endodontics, oral surgery, and orthodontics.
Career Opportunities, Rapid Placement
There is a desperate need for talented dental assistants. New protocols help us retain our natural teeth through longer lifetimes. Society’s emphasis on an attractive mouth has made dental care trendy as well as important, and dental assisting is projected to be one of the fastest growing occupations through 2014, especially in Florida.
Annual Salaries
Full or part-time dental assistants average $8 to $12 an hour, with some earning more than $18 an hour.
Certification and Licensing
The Dental Assisting program has been approved by the Florida Board of Dentistry to prepare students for certification in expanded duties and dental radiology.
Application Deadline
August 1 of each year with classes starting in the fall. Students are accepted into the program (on a space available basis) until the first day of class. After that, students will need the written approval of the dental assisting instructor. Priority is given to students within the College’s service area.
Application Procedure
Submit the following:
- Official high school transcript/GED scores.
- The Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) is a major criterion in a student’s completion of the program. Students who fail to meet the State of Florida’s designated exit score will be required to complete Vocational Preparatory Instruction (VPI). In order to complete the program successfully, students must achieve or surpass the designated exit score(s). See the Standards of Academic Progress.
- Completion of application form for dental assisting program.
Need More Information? Contact:
Dr. Jeffrey Smith, North Campus, (904) 766-6571
More Information Online
Curriculum
Total Contact Hours: 1,230
Total Workforce Credits: 40 |
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