College Certificate: (DEA-CERT)
About the Program
The Dental Assisting College Certificate program provides students with the necessary training to perform the duties of a dental assistant, including assisting the dentist (chair side), providing patient education, performing laboratory procedures, exposing and diagnostic x-rays and performing office management tasks such as billing, maintain patient information, and scheduling appointments.
In addition, the dental assistant who becomes licensed can provide expanded functions as delegated by Michigan law. Instruction runs concurrently with the laboratory instruction throughout the program. Students gain clinical experience in clinical facilities and dental offices. Aptitudes that will be helpful to students are an ability to pay attention to detail, follow instructions, work quickly and independently, be responsible for personal and office organization, and interact well with people.
Upon completion of the program, students are eligible to take the Dental Assisting National Board Examination to become a Certified Dental Assistant (CDA). In addition, they are eligible to take the State of Michigan’s Registered Dental Assistant Examination to become a licensed Registered Dental Assistant (RDA).
The program in Dental Assisting is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. The Commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Commission on Recognition of Post-Secondary Accreditation and the United States Department of Education.
College Certificate Goals
- To teach and prepare students as dental assistants to competently perform a variety of dental assisting tasks in a variety of community and health care settings
College Certificate Outcomes
- Students will be able to detail, plan and demonstrate competency in performing comprehensive and routine dental laboratory procedures, assist in managing medical emergencies and perform expanded functions legal in the State of Michigan
- Perform clinical and support treatments to include collecting diagnostics and data
- Manage proper infection control and hazard management protocol
- Take proficient diagnostic radiographs related to exposure and evaluation
- Carry out routine dental office procedures to include computer data entry, scheduling, and records management
- Understand regulations governing the legal and ethical boundaries of the profession as they apply to American Dental Assistants Association (ADAA) code of ethics and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) guidelines while modeling professional behaviors, ethics and appearance
- Provide patient oral health instructions
- Upon completion of the Dental Assisting Program, the HESI Dental Assisting Exit Exam will be administered
Admission Requirements
The program begins each Fall semester and parttime students are accepted on a space availability basis. Student must have the program’s approval, a completed application, and other required information submitted by the due date. If there are openings after the application deadline, any remaining openings will be filled on a first come basis to qualified applicants.
Students must complete the following:
- Fulfill all WCCCD admission requirements
- Possess a high school diploma or GED
- Request official high school and/or college transcripts to be sent to the Dental Assisting Program office
- Must be 18 years of age or older
- Declare intent to enter the Dental Assisting Program on the WCCCD Application for Admission form or change intent at the Admission’s Office
- Declare intent to enter the Dental Assistant Program by submitting an Allied Health Application
- Demonstrate reading comprehension via the ACCUPLACER® assessment with a score of 276 in the Next Generation Reading portion or Freshman English 119. Based on the results of the test Prerequisite courses may be required
- Documentation of current immunizations or immunity for tetanus, MMR and Varicella
- Receive the Hepatitis B vaccination or declare intent to receive or decline the vaccination
- Must test negative on a TB test
- Show proof of enrolling in an applicable CPR (for the healthcare provider) course
- Obtain a Criminal Background Check (through the program)
- Meet with the Dental Assisting Program Director
- The admitted student must purchase the required uniform. Students will be loaned a dental kit in the first week of classes
- Program approval is required for credits for “Prior Experience and Required Knowledge”
- Complete a WCCCD Program Application and submit to the Campus Academic Officer
An admitted student must purchase the required uniform. Students will be loaned a dental kit in the first of week of classes and will need to provide:
- Documentation of current medical examination
- Complete CPR training for the Health Care Provider (A CPR course is offered by the College)
- Documentation of dental examination and completed treatment
Before participating in any clinical course:
- The admitted student must purchase the required uniform. Students will be loaned a dental kit in the first week of classes.
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