The Dental Assisting program is designated as a Health Manpower Shortage Program; therefore, some residents of Maryland enrolled in this program of study on the first day of the term may be eligible for in-county tuition rates for courses required for program completion.
Purpose: The purpose of the Dental Assisting Program is to provide a program of study for students to acquire the knowledge, skills, and attitude necessary to become an integral and qualified member of the dental team. This program, accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation, also prepares students to sit for the Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) exam or the Maryland General Dental Assisting Expanded Functions (MDG) and Radiation Health and Safety (RHS) exams, and Infection Control, all administered by Dental Assistant National Board (DANB).
View the Dental Assisting, Certificate Fee Sheet.
Curriculum: The curriculum is divided into several areas of study and consists of lecture, laboratory and clinical experience. Emphasis is placed on the knowledge and skills of the dental assistant to meet the needs of other members of the dental team and the needs of dental patients.
Program Outcomes: Graduates of the Dental Assistant Certificate Program will be able to:
- Provide a comprehensive curriculum that prepares Certified Dental Assistants to meet the needs of the Dental employers with our community.
- Furnish the community with a dental assistant who has developed entry level competency to assist the general and specialized dentist, and provide the knowledge of dental theory adequate for understanding the significance and implications of those procedures performed.
- Provide the student with knowledge, understanding, and working skills in dental laboratory procedures and business office administrative duties.
- Graduate students with the ability to demonstrate professional and ethical conduct as members of the dental team and to motivate the student to pursue lifelong professional growth and development through participation in professional organizations and continuing education.
- Graduate students competent to pass the Dental Assisting National Board Examinations in General Chairside, Infection Control, and Radiation Health and Safety, and expanded function.
Program Competencies: Graduates of the Dental Assisting Certificate Program will be able to:
- Perform extry-level skill and competence in assigned chairside dental assistant duties and responsibilities (including allowable functions as defined by the Maryland State Board of Dentistry).
- Demonstrate appropriate cultural, legal, ethical, and professional respect during patient care, including adherence to HIPAA standards.
- Perform radiographic techniques in a variety of dental environments.
- Apply OSHA Infection Control and Hazard Communication standards during all aspects of dental care and practice.
- Utilize computer technology associated with the profession of dentistry including but not limited to digital radiography, intraoral cameras, and dental-specific software for the operation of a dental practice.
- Exhibit legal and ethical behavior which adheres to professional conduct standards for dentistry.
- Articulate dental language appropriate in business, clinical, and education situations.
- Delineate and describe the various dental practicie specialties and explain a dental assistant’s scope of practice in each specialty.
- Recognize the importance of continued professional development to demonstrate professional competence and growth.
Admission Requirements:
- A High School Diploma or GED
- As a cohort program, students will be admitted to the dental assisting program each summer on a first-come basis. The dental assisting program is limited to 24 students. This limit is based upon available lab space and externship sites.
- An orientation session will be held prior to the beginning of the first semester of the dental assisting program. Attendance is mandatory.
- Students must have completed RDG 095 or be eligible for college level English and must have completed MAT 090 , MAT 095 , or be eligible for college level Math.
Program Requirements: All dental assisting students must:
- Receive a minimum grade of “C” in all dental assisting program requirements
- Meet program competency requirements for both the dental laboratory and externship experiences
Students who receive a final mark of unsatisfactory in the dental laboratory or externship experiences, despite a passing theory grade, will not be permitted to progress in the dental assisting program and will receive a final grade of “F” for the course.
Students who do not meet program or course standards that result from termination from the dental assisting program by the College are not eligible for readmission to the program. This includes students who cannot meet safety standards and students who violate the college’s Honor Code and Standards of Conduct, the dental assisting program’s Standards of Conduct and the American Dental Association’s Principle of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct.
Over the course of the Dental Assisting program, students may be required to participate in enrichment dental-related activities, which are determined by the Program Coordinator.
Fact Sheet
