Health Occupations - Dental Assistant

Dental Assistant

In this program, students will be taught the essentials of working chairside with a dentist to maintain a patient’s oral health. Training consists of classroom hours, practice in the state-of-the-art dental training lab, and 265 required internship hours in a dental office. Upon completion, students will be eligible to register with the Dental Board of California as Registered Dental Assistants (RDA). Click on the Program Guide button for current fees, schedules, and requirements.

Learning Outcomes

What certification will I receive after completing the program?

The Dental Assistant program is currently under review for accreditation by the Dental Board of California. Once approved, students will qualify to take the Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) exam. Upon successful completion of the course, internship, and exam, students can be licensed as Registered Dental Assistants. Students may pursue employment before obtaining licensure.

What will I learn in the dental assistant program?

This course prepares students to work as Dental Assistants. Instruction includes sterilization techniques, X-rays, coronal polishing, pit and fissure sealants, chairside assisting, and basic front office procedures, including computer skills. This course is under review for approval by the Dental Board of California and meets the standards of a Registered Dental Assistant program.

A total of 800 hours of instruction is required for certification and compliance with the California State Dental Practice Act. This instruction is delivered in two components: a 560-hour theory/lab class and a 265-hour internship.

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

Define the role of the Dental Assistant.
Communicate respectfully and effectively with patients in a variety of situations, with an appreciation for diversity.
Discuss OSHA regulations mandated for workers in a dental setting.
Research opportunities for career advancement and continuing education.
Achieve certification in Basic Life Support for the Healthcare Provider, according to American Heart Association standards.
Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.

Chairside Procedures

Obtain and record patient medical and dental histories and alert the dentist to significant findings.
Take and record patient vital signs, pulse, and respiration.
Prepare armamentarium in proper sequence for dental procedures.
Provide postoperative instructions prescribed by the dentist.
Discuss auxiliary responsibilities when drugs are administered.
Demonstrate methods of sterilization, disinfection, and the care and maintenance of instruments and materials commonly used in a dental office.
Maintain operatory equipment and instruments, including storage, lubrication, and sterilization.
Demonstrate good oral hygiene techniques and explain the reasons for and effects of proper dental care.
Assist in the administration of nitrous oxide analgesia or sedation.
Demonstrate isolation preparation and application of topical fluoride to all teeth.
Demonstrate isolation and placement of rubber dams.
Access and utilize technology and information relevant to the dental profession.

Dental Radiography

Expose and develop X-rays.
Pass the California State Radiation Safety Test before starting the internship.

Laboratory Procedures

Demonstrate efficient manipulative skills in handling preliminary impressions for study models.
Pour and trim impressions using plaster and alginate (irreversible hydrocolloid).
Construct temporary restorations in quadrants specified by the instructor.

Front Office Procedures

Schedule appointments to provide the dentist and staff with a balanced and varied workload.
Explain how, when, and from whom to order products typically used in a dental office.
Prepare patient ledgers, including charges, payments, and balances.
Use computer systems to process documents, create and maintain patient charts, schedule appointments, produce correspondence, send appointment reminders and billing statements, and manage inventory.

Registered Dental Assistant Functions

Locate the presence of supragingival calculus, plaque, inflammation, bleeding, mobile and malpositioned teeth, fixed and removable prostheses, and other soft tissue abnormalities.
Place and remove temporary dressings.
Select and use proper armamentarium to dry root canals.
Obtain an endodontic culture.
Isolate, prepare, and test for tooth vitality.
Apply appropriate base and liner for a prepared tooth.
Size and prepare stainless steel and temporary crowns.
Select, prepare, cement, and remove temporary crowns according to Dental Board regulations.
Place and ligate arch wires.
Place orthodontic separators using criteria set by the Board of Dental Examiners.
Place and remove periodontal dressing with minimal tissue trauma.
Demonstrate proper polishing techniques, practicing patient and operator safety based on COMDA standards.

Dental Students get hands on practice with a dental manikin

Requirements

What are the requirements to take this course?

Be at least 18 or older
Attend a Medical Orientation
Attend First Class day for the dental assistant program
Proof of required immunizations (list will be provided at registration)
Be a high school graduate or equivalent (must provide an official copy of transcript or diploma for the board)

Please check the program guide for the most current requirements.

Dental students work on a dental manikin

Schedule

When is the dental assistant program offered?

This is a 1-semester course (5 months) that is offered twice a year, starting in August and January. The course is Monday - Thursday, 7:30 am - 4:00 pm. Following the completion of the program, all students are required to complete a 265-hour internship at a dental office to graduate from the program and be eligible to sit for the RDA examination.

Please check the program guide for the most current schedule.

Cost

How much does the dental assistant program cost?

HOC has moved to a more inclusive fee structure to cover most additional costs required for the class. As a result, the program registration fee has increased, and the additional costs have decreased. The program registration fee is $1,625. and includes Livescan fingerprinting, RDA test fee, ebook, consumable supplies, and dental supply kit.

Are there any additional costs associated with the program?

The additional costs include the California RDA application fee ($125) and scrubs. A set of scrubs can range from $25 - $150, depending on brand and style.

Is financial aid or tuition assistance available?

As a K-12 adult school, we are unable to offer financial aid. We do partner with the San Diego Workforce Partnership, local career centers, and other organizations whenever possible to offer opportunities for fees to be reduced or covered for qualified participants. For more information on what is available for this program, attend an orientation and/or connect with a transition services specialist.

What is the refund policy?

Students have until the last day of the second week of class to request a refund for the registration fee minus a $25 processing fee.

Prices subject to change. Please check the program guide for the most current cost.

Job Outlook

What is the job outlook?

According to the California Economic Development Department, employment opportunities for dental assistants are predicted to increase by 16.5% or 8,000 jobs between 2016 and 2026. Explore the links below for more information about the labor market for dental asistants.

Instructor

Diana Harshman, RDA

Diana Harshman has been the program director and instructor in the dental assistant program since 1998. She is also a graduate of the program. She holds a Designated Subjects Teaching Credential to teach Career Technical Education courses in California, as well as her RDA license. She has certification for X-ray, Coronal Polishing, Pit and Fissure, Sealants, Dental Practice Act, and Infection Control. Diana worked in the dental field as an RDA for 11 years.

Kaylia Davis, RDA

Kaylia Davis graduated from our dental assisting program here at HOC in 2014. She came back and became one of the instructors for the program in 2023. She is in the process of finishing up courses to obtain her Designated Subjects Teaching Credential to teach Career Technical Education courses in California. She has certification for X-ray, Coronal Polishing, Pit and Fissure, Sealants, Dental Practice Act, and Infection Control. Kaylia has worked in the dental field for 10 years.

Facilities

Where is training for the program completed?

Course work for the dental assistant program is performed in our new state of the art dental lab, completed in January 2020, located at the Health Occupations Center in Santee. The lab is fully stocked with 3 dental chair stations and 2 dental x-ray rooms. We use federal Perkins grant funding to purchase up-to-date equipment used in the dental field based on advice from our advisors and stakeholders that we consult annually. Our most recent purchases include Dexter heads with cadaver teeth, updated x-ray arms, 12 o'clock stations for each dental chair, and intraoral cameras.

Students that successfully complete the on campus instruction are eligible for placement in the 265-hour internship that will occur in dental offices throughout the county.

Next Steps

I'm interested! What are my next steps?

The dental assistant program accepts students twice a year through the orientation and First Class day process. Check the Program Guide for the next class start dates. Visit the How to Get Started page now.

Refund Policy

Refunds for this class must be requested by the end of the second week of class. A $25.00 processing fee will be charged. No refunds on printing packet or dental kit.

Health Occupations Center

8770 Mast Boulevard

Santee, CA 92071

(619) 956-4300

8770 Mast Blvd.

Grossmont Union High School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, or disability or affiliation with the Boy Scouts of America and other designated youth groups or any other basis protected by law or regulation, in its educational program(s) or employment. The following employees have been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination:

Additional Title IX non-discrimination information
4119.26 BP Employee/Student Interaction Policy
Additional non-discrimination and related policies
Complaint- Uniform Complaint/Other

Title IX Coordinator - Mary Nishikawa, Director I - Student Support Services, 1100 Murray Drive, El Cajon, CA 92020; (619) 644-8012; mnishikawa@guhsd.net
Title II/ADA Coordinator - Paul Dautremont, Assistant Superintendent; 1100 Murray Drive, El Cajon, CA 92020; (619) 644-8041; pdautremont@guhsd.net
Section 504 Coordinator - Lauren Basteyns, Director II / Principal, B.L./Academic Intervention, 1100 Murray Drive, El Cajon, CA 92020; (619) 593-2763; lbasteyns@guhsd.net

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