Emergency Medical & Allied Health Programs: Dental Assisting

Registration Open for
January 29, 2009 through April 2, 2009
Tuesday/Thursday evening class
Click for more detailed information.

REGISTRATION FORM

SALLIE MAE LOAN INFORMATION

All Classes are held at:
Blue Ridge Community and Technical College
400 West Stephen Street
Martinsburg, WV 25401

Student Financial Aid Opportunities
Call for More Information
304-260-4380 ext 2302
sreneker@blueridgectc.edu

Dental Assistants provide quality preventative and corrective dental care under direct supervision of the dentist or dental hygienist.  The Dental Assistant is responsible for assisting dentists and dental hygienists with patient care, as well as providing certain administrative support to the office.

Dental Assistants work in a variety of health care settings including dentist offices, hospitals and other similar facilities. With the national increase in health care related services and the national shortage of health care professionals, the need for Dental Assistants is growing substantially.     

The 60 hour Dental Assisting Program prepares students for entry level positions in one of the fastest growing health care positions – Dental Assisting. The purpose of this course is to familiarize the student with all areas of pre-clinical dental assisting and provide training in the professional skills required to function as an assistant in the dental practice.

This course covers the following key areas and topics – Administrative Aspects: the history of dentistry and dental assisting; introduction to the dental office; the legal aspects of dentistry and dental assisting; policies and guidelines.  Clinical Aspects include: introduction to oral anatomy; dental operatory; dental equipment, operation, and maintenance; introduction to tooth structure; primary and permanent teeth; the oral cavity and related structures; proper patient positioning; dental hand-pieces; dental anesthesia; sterilization; maintaining sterility and asepsis and other areas.   

In addition to entry-level administrative jobs, this course is ideal for students interested in pursuing a future formal Dental Hygienist program.  The program includes graded quizzes and exams. 

NOTE: This program does not include a national or state certification objective which in most states requires one to two years of training or education.

Most employers prefer that dental assistants and aides have a high school diploma or equivalent. There are state and national examinations that test the competency of Dental Assistants and which often lead to a Dental Assistant / Hygienist Certification:

• Describe dental specialties and the history of dentistry.
• Identify the members of the dental staff and general job descriptions.
• Identify and name the parts of the jaw and areas of the mouth.
• Oral embryology and histology.
• Tooth charting, tooth surfaces and classification of restorations on a tooth.
• Identify a single crown restoration, bridge, implant, partial denture, and full denture.
• Overview of dentitions.
• Periodontal disease and preventative dentistry.
• Identify and name dental equipment and accessories/equipment in a treatment room.
• Oral pathology, microbiology, disease transmission and infection control.
• Principles and techniques of instrument processing and sterilization.
• Chemical and waste management.
• Dental unit water lines.
• Dental hand pieces and accessories.
• Moisture control.
• Dental cements, impression materials and general dentistry.
• Endodontics, periodontics and oral maxiofacial surgery.