DA12 Dental Assisting, Diploma
Offered at the Griffin Campus
| Program Entrance Term: |
Fall |
| Minimum Length of Program: |
5 terms |
| Minimum Credit Hours for Graduation: |
59 |
Program Description
The Dental Assisting program provides learning opportunities which introduce, develop, and reinforce academic and occupational knowledge, skills, and attitudes required for job acquisition, retention, and advancement. Program graduates will be competent in the technical areas of preventive dentistry, four-handed dentistry, chairside assisting with emphasis in diagnostics, fixed prosthodontics, pediatric dentistry, orthodontic procedures, endodontic procedures, surgical and expanded functions, dental practice management, specialties, and dental radiology. Program graduates receive a Dental Assisting diploma and have two Completion documents: Radiology and Expanded Functions.
The Dental Assisting program is a five-term sequence which includes lecture, lab, and clinical courses that will prepare students to deliver dental health care to diverse patient populations in a variety of settings.
Students should think of their time spent in the Dental Assisting program as the beginning of a lifetime of professional development.
Students will learn the professional skills for their new career and the skills that will enhance their personal development.
Admission Requirements
- Submit completed application and application fee
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Submit official high school transcript or GED transcript with test scores and ALL post-secondary transcripts in an official sealed envelope
- Meet assessment requirements.
Applicants must meet general admissions requirements as well as the following minimum requirements. Meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee admission into the program.
The DA program is a daytime only and is a full time program, admits once per year each Fall Semester at the Griffin Campus. The deadline to apply is the last day of the Spring Semester. The following steps are required for admission:
- Successfully complete (or transferred in) ENG 1010, PSYC 1010, COMP 1000, MATH 1012, ALHS 1040 and ALHS 1011 with a minimum grade of C in each course.
- Maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.5 for core classes.
- A minimum of 25 percent of the program course work must be completed on the campus intended for graduation.
Candidate Selection and Prerequisite Requirements
The following criteria will be used:
- Overall GPA for core classes 2.5
- Program-ready e-mail list
- Students must possess a current CPR card. It is recommended to obtain CPR card just prior to entering the program so that the card will remain current throughout the program.
In case that two or more applicants complete requirements simultaneously, the position will be determined on the basis of the date and time the email is sent to the program-ready list.
Upon completion of one or more core classes, the student should make an appointment to see the Dental Assisting program director and complete a Program-Ready Form prior to being placed on the program-ready list.
After the student has filled out the Program-Ready Form with the program director of the Dental Assisting program, the student must immediately place their name on the program-ready e-mail list.
The following information is needed when sending the email to dareadylist@sctech.edu
- Name (as listed in Banner)
- Student ID
- Phone Number(s)
- Student address
- Email address
- Program of study (Please be sure that your status in BANNER is listed as Healthcare Assistant . If not, you will be removed from the Program Ready List)
- Courses taken and grade
If the student’s phone number, mailing address, or e-mail address changes, the Dental Assisting program MUST be notified by e-mail at dareadylist@sctech.edu.
If the Dental Assisting program cannot contact you by phone or e-mail, you will be removed from the program-ready list.
ALL STUDENTS WHO ARE NOT ACCEPTED INTO THE PROGRAM MUST RESUBMIT A NEW PROGRAM-READY FORM FOR THE NEXT COHORT.
Background Check
A student who has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor may be admitted to the Dental Assisting program; however, such a conviction may prohibit a student from attending certain clinical sites and may prohibit a student from taking the Dental Assisting National Board exam.
Grading Standards
Grading standards for dental assisting (DENA) courses are very stringent. A grade of C or better is required in all classes.
Readmission Policy
Readmission into the Dental Assisting program following withdrawal or first-time failure will be based on the following:
- Proof of previous program course completion of less than one year.
- Students who withdrew or completed either Fall, Spring, or Summer semesters in good standing (GPA 2.5 or higher) will be allowed remittance into the Dental Assisting program. The student may be allowed to re-enter the program the following year at the point in which the student withdrew from the program.
- Students who were dismissed from the Dental Assisting program due to receiving a final grade of D or F in any dental assisting class (DENA) will be allowed to re-enter the program the following year to retake those classes.
- Readmission will be based on available space within the classrooms and clinical sites.
- Students who do not successfully complete the Dental Assisting program after two attempts, whether at this college or at another college, will not be readmitted into the program.
- A student must complete another background check, drug screen, and health screen as designated by participating clinical sites.
- The student must complete additional requirements as deemed necessary by the program faculty.
- This courtesy is extended only once.
Approximate additional costs other than tuition, fees, and textbooks
| Uniforms |
$140 |
| Laboratory coat |
$50 |
| Shoes |
$55 |
| Long sleeve undershirt |
$12 |
| Short sleeve undershirt |
$12 |
| Medical exam |
$45 |
| Oral exam |
$45 |
| Hepatitis B vaccine |
$300 |
| Clinical insurance |
$30 |
| American Dental Assistants Association |
$50 |
| Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) |
$425 |
| Background check |
$78 |
| Drug screen |
varies |
| Hepatitis Titer |
$64 |
| Tuberculosis skin test |
$20 |
| Text Books |
$600 |
Program Courses
First and Second Term
Third Term
Fourth Term
Fifth Term
Note: Students enrolling in the Dental Assisting program have the potential for routine or unplanned exposure to blood and/or other potentially infectious body material pathogens in the normal conduct of student instructional activities. Grading standards for Dental Assisting courses are very stringent. For students to progress to the next course of study, a minimum grade of C must be achieved in every DENA course.