Program Overview

Dental Assistant Program

The Dental Assistant program is designed to promote the educational advancement of dental assistants and the dental assisting profession. The program aims to enhance quality dental health care delivery to the diverse community through credentialing and professional activities.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Dental Assistant program is to provide dental assisting students with the most recent advances in technology, materials, techniques, and equipment to be prepared when entering or being employed in the workforce system as dental assistants.

Goals

The program has the following goals:

• Prepare students to successfully challenge the Dental Assisting National Board Radiation Health and Safety Examination
• Prepare students to successfully challenge the New Mexico Board of Dental Health Care (NMBODHC) Radiology Certification
• Provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to gain employment in the dental assisting field within 6 months of graduation

Certificate of Completion

The Dental Assistant program offers a Certificate of Completion. Dental assisting is a rewarding profession that involves helping others and working closely with patients and other dental team members. Dental assistants are frequently relied on as the dentist's "other set of hands," constantly challenging them to expand and grow their knowledge and skill sets.

Skills and Responsibilities

Dental assistants perform a variety of tasks, including:

• Preparing equipment, materials, and instruments for patient care
• Performing sterilization and disinfection procedures
• Providing patients with instructions before and after dental procedures
• Creating temporary crowns, bleaching trays, custom trays, and custom-fitted sport mouth guards
• Providing coronal polishing and fluoride treatments
• Placing pit and fissure sealants
• Taking impressions of teeth
• Taking patient vital signs, recording or reviewing medical histories and medications
• Providing individualized oral hygiene instruction for patients and/or parents
• Creating study casts (molds)
• Exposing, developing, and mounting dental radiographs
• Anticipating dental provider needs for patient procedures
• Performing a variety of other duties surrounding patient care, infection control, and radiology

Program Requirements

The Dental Assistant program is a limited-entry, special-application program. When a candidate is considered for acceptance into the program, the following factors are taken into account:

• High school and/or college transcripts and a minimum GPA of 2.8
• Proof of county residency
• Essay
• Copy of healthcare provider CPR card and proof of current immunizations
• Completing all program admission requirements as outlined in the program application
• Complete the program application (submitted by deadline)
• Must participate in all program-required activities for admitted students

Course Fees

In addition to tuition, a course fee of $250 is charged for DAS 115 Dental Radiology.

Accreditation

Effective July 1, 2024, the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) does not accredit this program.

Licensure

Students who graduate from this program can apply for licensure in the State of New Mexico after completing the program and completing their DANB or New Mexico Board Approved Radiation Health and Safety Exam.

Required Skills and Abilities

Students will need to demonstrate:

• Good oral expression (speech clarity) and written comprehension in English
• Critical thinking skills
• Near vision
• Physical stamina (e.g., the ability to stand for long periods of time)
• Ability to manipulate dental/medical equipment
• Ability to move/lift patients and equipment up to 60 pounds without assistance
• Ability to perform patient care procedures with manual dexterity

Program Admission Special Requirements

The Dental Assistant program has special requirements for admission, including:

• High school and/or college transcripts and a minimum GPA of 2.8
• Proof of county residency
• Essay
• Copy of healthcare provider CPR card and proof of current immunizations
• Completing all program admission requirements as outlined in the program application

Courses

The Dental Assistant program includes the following courses:

• DAS 101: Introduction to Dental Assisting
• DAS 111: Bio-Dental Science
• DAS 113: Dental Assisting I
• DAS 115: Dental Radiology
• DAS 117: Dental Materials
• DAS 123: Dental Assisting Practicum
• DAS 125: Professional Concepts
• DAS 127: Dental Office Management
• DAS 129: Preventive Dentistry
• DAS 130: Dental Assisting II
• DAS 131: Dental Office Management I
• DAS 133: Dental Office Management II
• DAS 155: Special Topics

Learning Outcomes

Each course has specific learning outcomes, including:

• DAS 101: Introduction to the duties and responsibilities of a dental assistant
• DAS 111: Introduction to biomedical and dental sciences
• DAS 113: Introduction to chair side assisting procedures
• DAS 115: Radiation physics, hygiene, and safety theories
• DAS 117: Composition, chemical and physical properties, manipulation and uses of dental materials
• DAS 123: Clinical component of the program that combines general practice and experiences in the work place
• DAS 125: Emphasis on the development of professionalism for the dental office
• DAS 127: Introduction to business office procedures
• DAS 129: Prevention of dental diseases, oral hygiene instruction, fluoride, community dental health, and nutrition
• DAS 130: Continuation of chair side assisting skills and techniques
• DAS 131: Introduction to the field of dental office management
• DAS 133: Emphasis on computer programs specifically designed for dental office management
• DAS 155: Special topics in dental assisting