Program Overview

Dental Office Administration Program Overview

A dental receptionist or administrator plays a vital role in a dental office, much of which may not be seen by clients. The dental receptionist and administrator ensures the smooth operation of the dental practice by performing operations such as processing information, utilizing both paper and electronic management systems, scheduling, maintaining financial records, and handling insurance claims.

Using their proficient interpersonal skills, the dental receptionist or administrator creates a personal and professional connection between clients and dentists by coordinating requests from both parties. A good dental receptionist and administrator who is trained in both administrative and interpersonal aspects of the job, supports successful and efficient practices in the dental office. By communicating clearly and effectively with insurance providers, the dental receptionist or administrator and make the claims process considerably less stressful for both the dental clients and the insurance company representatives.

The Dental Office Administration program at Durham College offers a unique blend of academic learning and practical applications to provide a graduate with the skills, knowledge and professionalism to manage dental office business applications, and serve as the interface between various parties in the provision of dental services. Durham College’s Dental programs are highly regarded within the dental community.

Graduates of the Dental Office Administration program are eligible to write a certification examination through the Ontario Dental Assistants Association.

Intakes and Availability

• September 2025: Open for domestic and international students

Program Highlights

• DC Experience
• Resources

Admission Requirements

• Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or Mature Student Status
• Grade 12 English (C or U) (minimum 60 per cent)

Are you missing admission requirements? We are here to help.

• Durham College (DC) offers pre-admission assessment testing to mature domestic applicants to meet admission requirements in English and/or math.
• DC also offers Academic Upgrading. Courses are FREE and designed to help you meet the admissions requirements for this program.

Tuition

• Year one domestic: $2,722 (CAD)
• Year one international: $15,309 (CAD)

Semester 1 Courses

• Academic Communication Essentials (COMM 1715)
• Productivity Software for The Workplace (COMP 1109)
• Dental Office Management 1 (DENT 1100)
• Dental Anatomy and Technology for Office Administrator (DENT 1101)
• Managing Dental Office Finances (FINC 1102)
• Illnesses and Emotional Self-Regulation (HLTH 1105)

Career Options

• Administrative assistant
• Administrative officer
• Dental administrator
• Dental office manager
• Dental receptionist
• Dental records manager
• Treatment plan coordinator
• Billing and insurance administrator

Field Placement

• The Dental Office Administration program includes two field placements for a total of 80 hours in a working dental practice.
• Field Placement 1 is completed during Semester 2 and Field Placement 2 is completed immediately following Semester 2.

Program Transfer, Degree Completion and Additional Credentials

• Graduates are eligible to obtain certification through the Ontario Dental Assistants Association (ODAA).

Tech Requirements for dental office administration students

• Processor: i3
• RAM: 4GB
• Storage: 256GB SSD
• Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Professional or Education x64 SP1
• Internet Browser: Internet Explorer 11 or Google Chrome (newest version) or Firefox (newest version)
• Network Adapter: 802.11ac 2.4/5 GHz wireless adapter
• Camera: Webcam/built-in camera
• Internet connection

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completing the Dental Office Administration program, you can expect to understand and be able to do the following:

1. Assist in establishing dental office systems and software applications to ensure patient information is processed and securely stored.
2. Manage the administrative and financial operations of a dental office while complying with organizational policies and governing guidelines.
3. Utilize knowledge of dental procedures, technology, imaging, structures and conditions when supporting client centered care and maintaining client records.
4. Employ effective communication, leadership and conflict resolution strategies to interact with diverse clients and colleagues when supporting the requirements of the daily operations of a dental practice.
5. Support dental environment infection prevention and emergency protocols to maintain safe practice.
6. Maintain a positive image and office environment through reflective practice and adherence with professional and ethical standards.
7. Contribute to the promotion and operations of a dental practice by using technology and communication strategies.

Costs For The Dental Office Administration Program

• The fees below are estimates only based on information available at the time of publication, and do not include the cost of textbooks.
• There may be additional costs; however, not all courses require textbooks.

Residency

• Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident
• International

Dental Office Administration Year 1 Costs

• Semester 1:
  • Tuition: $1,361.02
  • Program Fee: $0
  • Ancillary Fee: $493.77
  • DCSA Ancillary Fee: $430
  • Total: $2,284.79
• Semester 2:
  • Tuition: $1,361.02
  • Program Fee: $0
  • Ancillary Fee: $493.77
  • DCSA Ancillary Fee: $120
  • Total: $1,974.79

Career Options for Dental Office Administration Program Graduates

• Completing the Dental Office Administration program will equip you to take on a role in a dental practice or hospital.
• Many of the skills you will learn in the Dental Administration program can be transferred to other roles; when you are looking for work in the area, we encourage you to also consider jobs that are not in a dental office if that interests you!

WHERE YOU COULD WORK

• General and specialty dental practices
• Hospital, chronic care and correctional institution dental clinics
• Health-related offices
• Dental supply and equipment companies
• Insurance companies that provide dental insurance
• Dental labs
• Educational institutions
• Nonprofit organizations and NGOs

Land Acknowledgement

Durham College is situated on the traditional lands of the First Peoples of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation. These lands are covered under the Williams Treaties and rest within the traditional territory of the Anishinaabeg. We offer our gratitude to the Indigenous Peoples who care for and, through the treaty process, share the lands on which we live, learn, teach and prosper today.