Welcome
The profession of dental assisting is so exciting right now, as we are in the process of making historical changes in Nebraska. Dental Assistants will be able to apply for a license in 2018 (ask for more details). Dental assistants play a dynamic role in dental offices and clinics. Here at SCC, our program goal is to get you ready to be a productive dental assistant. Students interested in a career as a dental assistant should take courses in biology, anatomy, chemistry, health, nutrition, and computer skills.Overview
The Dental Assisting program at SCC is a full-time program that is completed in four-quarters (12 months). It is offered both face-to-face (traditional) or online. This program provides opportunities to develop specialized skills in dental health education, chair-side assisting skills, various laboratory procedures, coronal polishing, radiation exposure and processing, business office procedures and management and more than 300 hours of clinical experience. The clinical experience is obtained at pre-approved dental offices and clinics, and a planned course of study that enhances the delivery of quality dental health care to the general public.
Our program is comprised of classroom, laboratory and pre-clinical instruction covering dental assisting skills and related theory. The students are taught duties that are regulated by the state of Nebraska and within the Dental Practice Act. All graduates from the program are eligible to take the Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) exam. This exam is recognized by the American Dental Association, and facilitated through the Dental Assisting National Board, Inc. (danb.org). Passing the DANB is one of the components to a license in dental assisting.
How to get started
Southeast Community College is a State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement Institution.
Mission
To meet a community need by preparing dental assistants committed to applying learned skills that they can utilize in a professional and ethical environment, which include legal boundaries of a diverse community.
The Dental Assisting program at SCC is accredited by the American Dental Association - Commission on Dental Accreditation (ADA-CODA) and has been granted the accreditation status of “approval without reporting requirements.” The Commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education.
ADA - CODA
211 E. Chicago Ave.
Chicago, IL 60611
312-440-4653
http://www.ada.org/en/coda
Program Outcomes
Employment Outlook
Employment is expected to grow. Population growth, greater retention of natural teeth by middle-aged and older people, and an increased focus on preventative dental care for younger generations will fuel demand for dental services. Older dentists, who have been less likely to employ assistants or have employed fewer, are leaving the occupation and will be replaced by recent graduates, who are more likely to use one or more assistants.
In addition, as dentists' workloads increase, they are expected to hire more assistants to perform routine tasks, so that they may devote their own time to more complex procedures. Job prospects for dental assistants should be excellent. In addition to job openings due to employment growth, numerous job openings will arise out of the need to replace assistants who transfer to other occupations, retire, or leave for other reasons. Many opportunities for entry-level positions offer on-the-job training, but some dentists prefer to hire experienced assistants or those who have completed a dental-assisting program. SCC graduates report an hourly wage around $16.30.
View Gainful Employment Information for this Program of Study.
Starting Terms
Fall Quarter (October) and Spring Quarter (April).
View your calendar conversion plan.
Course must be complete prior to applying for the DENT program. Take FSDT-1350
Course must be complete prior to applying for the DENT program. Take PSYC-1250 or PSYC-1810
Course must be complete prior to applying for the DENT program. Take SPCH-1090 SPCH-1110 or SPCH-2810
Take DENT-1103 DENT-1110 DENT-1111 DENT-1210 DENT-1211 DENT-1212 DENT-1214 DENT-1311 DENT-1312 DENT-1313 DENT-1314 DENT-1410 DENT-1411 DENT-1412 DENT-1413 DENT-1414;
To be eligible for courses, must be a licensed Dental Assistant or have approval. Take DENT-1500 DENT-1510 DENT-1520 DENT-1530
Program Admission
Submit to Admissions:- Application to SCC for the Dental Assisting Program.
- Submit a Program Self-Advising Sheet showing completion of all program pre-requisite courses with the required grade-point average.
- Transcripts from High School, GED or other colleges (if applicable).
- Appropriate math and writing course placement scores.
- 2.5 cumulative GPA.
Students will be contacted with an anticipated start date upon successful completion of the admission process.
Student Responsibilities BEFORE starting the Dental Assisting Program:
Submit the following items to the Health Sciences Division Office in B-4 prior to starting the program.
- Completed Health Statement and submit to the Health Sciences Division Office in B-4 upon application to the program.
- Completed Two-step skin test for tuberculosis verification must be submitted when requested by the program.
- CPR certification by American Heart Association for “Basic Life Support (BLS) Provider” or American Red Cross “Professional Rescuer and Healthcare Provider”. CPR certification must be current throughout program.
- Current Health Insurance Policy Coverage.
- Current Dental Prophylaxis (teeth cleaning).
- Review Essential Functions.
Student Responsibilities DURING the Dental Assisting Program:
- Annual Flu vaccination.
- Drug and alcohol testing requirement successfully completed when requested by the program. Contact the Dean of Health Sciences (402-437-2729) for further details or specific questions.
- Successful completion of a Criminal Background Check, including the Nebraska adult and child abuse registries (CBC executed by SCC before starting the program). Contact the Dean of Health Sciences (402-437-2729) for further details or specific questions.
- Minimum 2.5 GPA (Accumulative) to graduate.
- Complete all Dental Assisting courses with a minimum grade of 75% (C+).
- Possess computer skills and have Internet access.
- At their own expense, online students must attend a two- to four-day on campus labs in each quarter of the program at the SCC Lincoln, Nebraska, campus.
- Know and comply with the rules and regulations contained within the program’s and College’s Student Handbook.
- Maintain confidentiality regarding health and personal information of patient and abide by HIPAA guidelines.
- Demonstrate proficiency in all technical and critical-thinking skills necessary for a dental assistants and maintain appropriate professional conduct at all times during clinical and didactic courses.
Important Information:
Program Summary
This is a one-year program comprised of clinical and didactic courses. Students are admitted in Spring and Fall terms. The program is offered traditionally (clinicals performed in Lincoln; didactic courses offered in classroom) OR the online track (clinical performed outside Lincoln; didactic courses offered Web-based). Online track students are required to attend scheduled labs on Lincoln campus each quarter.
Clinical
Students will use the knowledge learned in the didactic courses, along with skills acquired in lab, to give care to patients at a dental health care facility. Clinical rotations may include private dental offices, University of Nebraska – College of Dentistry, Veteran’s Medical Center- Dental Clinic, Lincoln Lancaster Health Department - Dental Clinic, and People’s Health Center - Dental Clinic.
Students will gain experience in chair-side dental assisting skills with a variety of laboratory and office duties. Dental assistants work alongside a dentist to provide a large variety of dental treatment to patients. With the proper education and training, dental assistants can complete delegated reversible tasks independently, with the dentist on site. Dental assistants learn specialized skills that allow them to keep the patient’s mouth clean with a suction device, prepare materials, assist with specialty procedures, coronal polish of the teeth, exposure and process radiographs and many other duties. Infection control adherence and minor maintenance are major roles of the dental assistant.
Students perform approximately 15-20 hours of clinical per week at a pre-approved clinical site. Clinical hours are mainly daytime between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., however, there are some evening and early mornings.
Student Responsibilities in the Program
Important: Upon completing the program, students are eligible to take the Certified Dental Assistant examination offered by the Dental Assistant National Board, . If you have a felony or misdemeanor in your background, you may be ineligible to take the national board. Individuals who have been convicted of, or plead guilty to a crime, may file a pre-application with the DANB to obtain a ruling on the impact of their eligibility for examination (there is a fee for this). You can obtain information about the pre-application on the DANB website.