The Dental Assisting Program is a 2 semester and 7 week practicum, fall-entry only, full-time day program with a max of 24 students.(fall, spring and 7 weeks in the summer) The Dental Assisting program sequences its fourteen (14) technical courses with an additional nine educational to provide each student with the essential knowledge and skills necessary to become a vital part of the dental health care team to qualify the student to earn their Associate of Applied Science along with their Certificate Level I in Dental Assisting. The program in dental assisting is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. The Commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education. The Commission on Dental Accreditation can be contacted at (312) 440-4653 or at 211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611. The Commission’s web address is: www.ada.org/en/coda. The mission of the program is to provide for and support competency-based learning for a multicultural community. As one of the accredited Dental Assisting Programs in Texas, the program is committed to excellence in helping to meet the diverse needs of both traditional and nontraditional students. The program seeks to provide each student with the essential knowledge and skills necessary to become a functional dental team member and meet the requirements of the national examining entity. IMPORTANT: Students are required to submit an online application and attend a group advisement which includes a PowerPoint presentation with a Dental Assisting program faculty member. Students with high-school diploma or its equivalent (GED), or post- secondary degree https://www.alamo.edu/sac/admissions-aid/enrollment-checklists/ meeting the general admission and enrollment process requirements of San Antonio College and the Dental Assisting program must submit all required documents. What will I learn? Students will obtain knowledge in specific areas of dentistry to include infection control, radiology (both digital and manual), preventive dentistry, dental materials, four-handed dentistry and dental office management as well as all fields of dentistry. As one of seven Dental Assisting Programs in Texas accredited by the American Dental Association (ADA) Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), the program is committed to excellence in helping to meet the diverse needs of both traditional and nontraditional students. Job Outlook
Employment of dental assistants is projected to grow 11 percent from 2020 to 2030, faster than the average for all occupations. About 44,000 openings for dental assistants are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
