Record details
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The challenges presented by a career in dental assisting provide many opportunities for professional growth and personal achievement. Qualified dental assistants are in high demand. The time to become a dental assistant is now! Employment is expected to grow 25 percent over the next few years, so job prospects are on the rise. Dental assistants greatly increase the efficiency of the dentist in the delivery of quality oral health care and are valuable members of the dental care team. Come start your career with us!
Come join our expert faculty and learn quality patient care, administrative duties and laboratory functions, all in the setting of our state-of-the-art facilities. Students acquire excellent skills to assist a dentist engaged in performing general dentistry practices such as diagnostic, operative, preventive and other dental procedures.
Our program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association. Upon completion of this accredited program, students will earn an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) and will be eligible to take the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) certification exam, which provides the designation of CDA (Certified Dental Assistant) at the national level, and which is also recognized by the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners (TSBDE) as a Registered Dental Assistant (RDA).
Enrollment in this program is limited, and those applying for admission must make application directly to the Dental Assisting Program office. See the Selective Admissions requirements in the Admission section of this Catalog.
- Catalog Year
- 2023-2024
- Degree Type
- AAS
- TSI
- Reading & Writing Complete
- Degree Plan
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DENTAL STUDIES
Certified Dental Assisting AAS
Associate of Applied Science
TSI - Reading and Writing CompleteMajor Courses
44 Credits DNTA 1311 Dental Science
3
DNTA 1301 Dental Materials
3
DNTA 1415 Chairside Assisting
4 DNTA 1113 Emergency Management
1 DNTA 1305 Dental Radiology
3 DNTA 1249 Dental Radiology in the Clinic
2 DNTA 1245 Preventive Dentistry
2 DNTA 2250 Advanced Dental Applications
2 DNTA 1341 Dental Laboratory Procedures
3 DNTA 1266 Practicum (or Field Experience) Dental Assisting/Assistant
2 DNTA 1347 Advanced Dental Science
3 DNTA 1251 Dental Office Management
2 DNTA 2266 Practicum (or Field Experience) Dental Assisting/Assistant
2 HPRS 1201 Introduction to Health Professions
2 HITT 1305 Medical Terminology I
3 ITSC 1309 Integrated Software Applications I
3 POFM 1300 Basic Medical Coding
3 HPRS 1105 Essentials of Medical Law/Ethics for Health Professionals
1 General Education Requirements - 16 credits
44 Every Associate of Applied Science degree plan must contain at least 15 semester hours of general education courses. At least one course must be taken from each of the following areas: humanities/fine arts (language, philosophy & culture/creative arts), social/behavioral science (social and behavioral sciences/American history/government/political science), and natural science/mathematics (life and physical sciences/mathematics).
Major Courses: 44
General Education Requirements: 16Total Semester Hours: 60
All required DNTA courses must be completed with a “C” or better to receive the certificate.
The TJC Certified Dental Assisting Program is accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation under the following status: “approval without reporting requirements.” The Commission is a specialized body recognized by the United States Department of Education. The Commission on Dental Accreditation can be contacted at (312) 440- 4653 or 211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611. The Commission’s web address is http://www.ada.org/en/coda.Course Sequence:
FIRST SEMESTER CREDIT HOURS DNTA 1311 Dental Science
3 DNTA 1301 Dental Materials
3 DNTA 1415 Chairside Assisting
4 DNTA 1113 Emergency Management
1 DNTA 1305 Dental Radiology
3 SECOND SEMESTER CREDIT HOURS DNTA 1249 Dental Radiology in the Clinic
2 DNTA 1245 Preventive Dentistry
2 DNTA 2250 Advanced Dental Assisting Applications
2 DNTA 1341 Dental Laboratory Procedures
3 DNTA 1266 Practicum (or Field Experience) Dental Assisting/Assistant
2 DNTA 1347 Advanced Dental Science
3 SUMMER I CREDIT HOURS DNTA 1251 Dental Office Management
2 DNTA 2266 Practicum (or Field Experience) Dental Assisting/Assistant
2 THIRD SEMESTER CREDIT HOURS ENGL 1301 Composition I
3 BIOL 2404 Anatomy & Physiology
4 HPRS 1201 Introduction to Health Professions.
2 HITT 1305 Medical Terminology I
3 ITSC 1309 Integrated Software Applications I
3 FOURTH SEMESTER CREDIT HOURS POFM 1300 Basic Medical Coding
3 HPRS 1105 Essentials of Medical Law/Ethics for Health Professions
1 PSYC 2301 General Psychology OR
SOCI 13013 SPCH 1315 Public Speaking OR
SPCH 13213 xxxx x3xx Lang., Philosophy and Culture Core
3 Total Semester Hours: 60
Courses titled in bold type represent general education requirements.
Non-certified dental assisting courses may be taken prior to placement in the certified dental assisting program. Special admission and retention rules apply. Department-specific courses must be taken in sequence and may have a prerequisite course.
Having not received a “C” or better in any required DNTA course, the student may not progress until the deficiency has been removed.
Graduates who successfully pass the Dental Assisting National Board examination are eligible to apply for licensure in states where they plan to practice.