This comprehensive online dental assisting course will provide you with the essential skills and knowledge needed to become a dental assistant, including every aspect of professional dental assistance. You will also prepare to pass the radiology, infection control, and anatomy and physiology portions of the Dental Assisting National Board examinations – NELDA or CDA.
Requirements:
Hardware Requirements:
- This course can be taken on either a PC, Mac, or Chromebook.
- The optional Dentrix software requires a PC and cannot be used on a Chromebook or Mac.
Software Requirements:
- PC: Windows 10 or later.
- Mac: macOS 10.10 or later.
- Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox is preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
- Microsoft Word Online
- Adobe Acrobat Reader
- Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.
Other:
- Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.
Optional Dentrix Software Requirements*
- Operating System Windows* 7 Sp1, 8.1, 10
- Memory 8 GB RAM
- CPU 4 cores at 2.4 GHz
- Local Drive Install Space 40 GB total, 5 GB on C: drive
- Monitor 1280x1024
*Students are not required to download the software to complete the course requirements and can follow along with the video tutorials.
Instructional Material Requirements:
The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment. The following textbooks will be shipped to you approximately 7-10 business days after enrollment:
- Dental Assisting: A Comprehensive Approach
- Dental Assisting Instruments and Materials Guide
- Dental Terminology
- Flossing and Brushing Teaching Model
- Dental Assisting Coloring Book (potential 4-6 week shipping delay)
- Dentrix Software (online download) *You are not required to download the software to complete the course requirements and can follow along with the video tutorials.
Please note: You will receive a digital book if the physical book is on backorder.
Becoming a dental assistant is a fulfilling and rewarding career path with flexible hours and strong job growth predicted. In fact, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment of dental assistants is projected to grow 7% through 2032, faster than the average for all occupations, with a median annual wage of $46,540. Obtaining your dental assistant certification is your first step towards providing comfort and education for patients—and the online Clinical Dental Assistant course will prepare you to become a productive and successful member of a dental team.
This comprehensive and in-demand online clinical dental assistant program helps equip you for career success—with no previous experience necessary! You will learn essential aspects of professional dental assisting, including invaluable real-world perspectives from experienced dental assistants and essential information about anatomy and physiology, preventive dentistry, patient care and communication, radiology, pharmacology, anesthesia, assisting in specialty practices, employment strategies, and much more. You will also explore the basics of maintaining computerized clinical dental records using Dentrix Practice Management software.
After completing this dental assistant certification training, you will have the opportunity to apply for a clinical experience, through which you will get real-life clinical assistant experience. You will also be ready to pursue certification as a clinical dental assistant, including the radiology, infection control, and anatomy and physiology portions of the Dental Assisting National Board examinations – NELDA or CDA. Once you have gained clinical experience and in-person hours, you will be prepared for the general assisting exam and achieve your dental assistant certification.
Clinical Dental Assistant Experience
Students have the option to directly seek employment after the completion of this clinical dental assistant course or take advantage of the opportunity to participate in ed2go's optional clinical experience program. The application for the clinical experience program is within the course. You must be 80% complete within the course before you are eligible to reach out to the clinical experience coordinator for program information. As a Clinical Dental Assistant program student, you have up to 6 months after course completion to apply, but please note clinical experiences are not guaranteed. If you meet all the educational, pre-screening checks, and industry qualifications, including a completed application package, you will be considered for placement based on host site availability. NATIONAL ENTRY LEVEL DENTAL ASSISTANT, NELDA, CERTIFIED DENTAL ASSISTANT, CDA, AND DANB are trademarks of the Dental Assisting National Board, Inc (DANB). This clinical dental assistant course is not reviewed or endorsed by DANB.
Voucher Information
Upon successful completion of this clinical dental assistant course, you will receive vouchers to sit for the Anatomy, Morphology, and Physiology (AMP), Infection Control (ICE), and Radiation Health and Safety (RHS) portions of the Dental Assisting National Board examinations. The exams meet 3 of 3 exam requirements for the NELDA certification and 2 of 3 exam requirements for the CDA. If you already have 3,500 hours of clinical experience and wish to pursue the CDA certification, you will need to acquire the General Chairside Assisting exam. The General Chairside Assisting exam is not included in this voucher package. Included vouchers are prepaid access to sit for the exams upon eligibility.
Disclaimer: To qualify for the clinical experience application process, students must successfully complete the online course and ensure their account balances are current (at a minimum). It is important to note that ed2go cannot guarantee placement at any clinical site, and students must take full responsibility for fulfilling their clinical requirements. However, our affiliated partnerships can increase the likelihood of finding a site that matches student needs. Students can begin researching the steps of the application process two weeks before completing courses.
- The Dental Profession
- Communication Skills
- Ethics for the Dental Assistant
- Basic Dental Sciences
- Dental Anatomy
- Oral Pathology
- Infection Control
- Hazardous Materials
- Caring for Exceptional Patients
- Pharmacology for the Dental Assistant
- Emergency Management
- Oral Health and Nutrition
- The Dental Office
- Dental Instruments
- Introduction to Chairside Assisting
- New Patients and Charting
- Introduction to Dentrix Learning Software (Optional)
- Anesthesia and Sedation
- Preventative Care
- Radiation Health Safety
- Extraoral and Digital Radiology
- Dental Emergency Procedures and Amalgam Restorations
- Composite Procedures and Laboratory Materials
- Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics
- Dental Specialties
- Dental Implants and Fixed Prosthetics
- Computerized Restorative Systems and Removable Prosthodontics
- Cosmetic Dentistry
- Dental Practice Management
- Your Dental Career
What you will learn
- Describe the roles for each member of the dental team and twelve dental specialties
- Define the legal and ethical practice of dental assisting, including HIPAA
- Explain deciduous and permanent dentition along with their functions in dental anatomy and pathology
- Describe the chain of infection, transmission routes, and infection control for the dental practice, along with OSHA regulations
- Summarize the role of the dental assistant in pharmacology, nutrition, and interaction with a variety of patients in normal daily activities and emergency situations
- Describe the use, care, and preparation of dental instruments for patient care
- Outline the necessary components of a patient record prior to dental charting
- Use charting techniques to identify dental restorations and disease to create a treatment plan to prevent future disease progression
- Set up equipment for anesthesia and sedation.
- Describe patient clinical methods and techniques to prevent dental disease
- Identify the process of exposing high-quality radiographs in both traditional and digital formats
- Describe dental materials, their uses in dental treatment, and skills needed to use them efficiently
- Define the dental assistant's role in pediatric dentistry, orthodontics, endodontics, prosthodontics, and cosmetic dentistry
- Explain the communication and business needs to maintain a dental business office
- State transferable hard and soft skills in order to complete a résumé for a dental assistant position
How you will benefit
- Real-world perspectives from experienced dental assistants
- Essential information about anatomy and physiology, preventive dentistry, patient care, and communication, radiology, pharmacology, anesthesia, assisting in specialty practices, employment strategies, and much more
- Explore the basics of maintaining computerized clinical dental records using Dentrix Practice Management software
- Obtain your clinical dental assistant certification through the Dental Assisting National Board
Priscilla Garcia
Priscilla Garcia, RDA, CPP, is a dental professional with over 20 years of industry experience. She began her career in dentistry as a chair-side dental assistant in 2002. Her work has included working chair-side and in an administrative capacity in general and specialty practices.
Priscilla has a wealth of knowledge and expertise, which she leveraged to begin teaching dental assisting part-time at Collin College in 2016. She transitioned to program managing and teaching dental assisting full-time with Collin College in 2017.