Health and Public Services
DENTAL ASSISTING
DIPLOMA
The Dental Assisting Curriculum prepares individuals to assist the dentist in delivering dental treatment and to function as integral members of the dental team while performing chairside and related office and laboratory procedures.
SELECTIVE ADMISSION PROCESS
The following requirements must be completed to be admitted as a Pre-Dental student:
Step #1
Complete an ACC Admission Application - Apply Today!
- High School Transcript or equivalent
- Official transcripts of all post-secondary education
- Minimum GPA of 2.0 on previous college work
- Placement Testing or approved waiver
Step #2
Attend a mandatory Dental Assisting information session
Step #3
Meet with a health science advisor
Step #4
Complete your Dental Assisting Application
Students are admitted under the Associate in General Education Degree until they have met admissions requirements and are ready to apply and compete for a seat in the Dental Assisting program.
In order to academically compete for a seat in the Dental Assisting program, a student must complete the Dental Assisting Selective Admission Application.
All minimum requirements listed in Phase I must be successfully completed before a student can apply and compete for a seat in the program. The details of this process and the criteria used to rank a student will be covered in detail at the mandatory Dental Assisting information session.
Please note that high school students seeking admission must meet the same criteria as a non-high school student.
Dental Assisting is limited enrollment, which means students must apply for the program.
There are specific admission criteria, a separate admission application, and ranking
processes that determine who will be admitted to the program.
Students who are admitted to the Dental Assisting program must be full-time students and follow the semester-by-semester curriculum plan.
DEADLINE FOR DENTAL ASSISTING APPLICATIONS
| UNC/ACC Application Due Oct. 20 |
ACC Application April 4 |
Alamance Community College’s Dental Assisting Program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation and has been granted the accreditation status of “approval without reporting requirements.” The commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education. The Commission’s web address is www.ada.org/en/coda
Policy on Third Party Comments
Attention faculty, students, program administrators, dental related organizations,
and consumers:
In compliance with our accreditation standards, we are soliciting third party comments related to the Alamance Community College Dental Assisting Program’s compliance with the ADA’s Dental Assisting Accreditation Standards.
Comments must pertain only to the standards for the program or policies and procedures used in the Commission’s accreditation process. Comments must be signed, but the signatures will be removed prior to forwarding them to the program.
A copy of the appropriate accreditation standards and/or the Commission’s policy on third-party comments may be obtained by contacting:
Commission on Dental Accreditation
American Dental Association
211 East Chicago Avenue
Chicago, Il 60611
800-621-8099 Ext. 4653
Please send any written comments to the above address by December 27, 2024.
Only written comments will be accepted.
Essential Functions and Technical Standards Requirements
Purpose Statement:
The following standards reflect reasonable expectations of a student in the Dental Assisting Program for the performance of common dental assisting functions. In adopting these standards, the Program is mindful of the patient’s right to safe and quality dental care by students. The student must be able to apply the knowledge and skills necessary to function in a broad variety of clinical situations while providing the spectrum of dental assisting interventions. These standards do reflect what may be required for employment of the graduate. To verify the students’ ability to perform these essential functions, students may be required to demonstrate the technical standards below.
Meeting these technical standards does not guarantee employment in this field upon
graduation. Ability to meet the program’s technical standards does not guarantee a
student’s eligibility for any licensure, certification exam, or successful completion
of the program.
Technical Standards |
Definition of Standards |
Examples |
| Critical Thinking/Problem Solving Skills | Ability to collect, interpret and integrate information. Critical thinking ability should be sufficient for clinical judgment. | Identify cause and effect relationship(s) in clinical situations. Assimilate knowledge from lecture, laboratory, and clinical areas. Recognize potential hazards and/or risks and take appropriate safety precautions. instructions/ingredients for proper usage according to manufacturer’s directions. Measure and calculate correct amounts of products according to manufacturer’s directions. Analyze and utilize Safety Data Sheets (SDS) materials properly. Properly analyze hair, skin and nails and prescribe appropriate services and products. Apply color theory to achieve desired effect. Demonstrate short-term and long-term memory when designing and/or completing hair, skin and nail services. Apply knowledge skill set in hygiene, infection control and safety during personal and salon practices. Apply fundamentals of hair, skin and nail structure and chemistry. Detect and handle hair, skin and nail disorders safely and correctly. Apply safe practices before, during and after all services. Collect data, prioritize needs and anticipate reactions. Maintain attention to detail. |
| Interpersonal Skills | Interpersonal ability to interact with individuals, families, and groups from a variety of social, emotional, cultural, physical, medical and intellectual backgrounds. | Establish rapport with patients, dentists, dental team, and members of the community, other health care professionals and dental team members. Must be able to be aware of your own tone and pitch of voice, body language, and being aware of one's self image and how you are portraying yourself. |
| Coping Skills | Ability to respond appropriately to stressful environments, difficult patients and impending deadlines. | Manage heavy academic schedules/deadlines, fast paced clinical rotations, and patients in pain or fear in a professional, caring manner. Seek assistance and follow supervision in a timely manner. |
| Communication Skills | Ability to communicate effectively in English using verbal, non-verbal, and written formats with faculty, other students, dental patients, and dental professionals. | Explain treatment procedures, initiate dental health education, document and chart
dental treatment and health status; be able to gather, transfer and communicate data
using appropriate dental terminology and correct spelling. Recognize, interpret and
respond to non-verbal behavior of self and others. Communicate effectively, respectfully
and efficiently with peers, faculty, supervisors, other professionals and patients.
Students are expected to be able to effectively communicate verbally and non-verbally.
This requires the ability to see, speak, hear, read, write and effectively utilize
the English language. Auditory ability sufficient to monitor and assess health needs and communicate with patients and other members of the oral health care team. |
| Mobility/Tactile Skills |
Sufficient ability to provide safe and effective dental care to the dentist, client, and co-workers using gross and fine motor skills. Sufficient ability for physical assessment to include conditions found in the oral cavity utilizing various dental instruments for dental chairside procedures. Should have full manual dexterity including the functioning of both arms, both wrists, both hands, and all fingers. Necessary clinical skills involving procedures requiring (but not limited to) grasping, fingering, pinching pulling, pulling holding, extending, and rotation. |
Move, calibrate and use equipment and dental materials and supplies including sharp
instruments, during operative procedures; be able to utilize both hands in a coordinated
fashion. Manual dexterity sufficient to safely operate and/or manipulate dental handpieces
and instruments in the oral cavity. Be able to place/remove dental x-ray film in the oral cavity. Have eye-hand coordination adequate to transfer information using mouth mirror. Must have tactile sensitivity in natural fingers and strength in both hands enough to manipulate and grip small instruments and objects. |
| Hearing Skills | Ability to listen to and react promptly to instructors, patients, dental and medical providers while working in the clinical setting or gathering information for patient care. | Ability to record verbal patient assessments, listen to patient feedback and answer patient questions, hear cries for help or other sounds of distress. |
| Visual Skills | Sufficient ability for observation and assessment, including color perception necessary in dental health, sufficient binocular vision to perceive depth, and space visualization. | Observe patient responses such as skin color and facial expression; monitors vital signs, evaluate radiographs for technical quality including density, contrast and distortion; and read records. |
| Behavioral/Social | Exhibits mature, sensitive, and effective relationships with patients, peers, faculty, supervisors, and other professionals | Exercise affirmative judgment. Demonstrate sensitive and interpersonal relationships
with patients, peers and faculty. Ability to function under stress and deal with patients and others who may be experiencing stress. Endure physically taxing workloads. Adapt to changing environments and flexible schedules. Display attributes of: empathy, integrity, concern and respect of others. Display compassion and concern for others. Display emotional stability |
| Weight Bearing | Ability to lift and manipulate or move 45- 50 lbs. daily | Position patients. Move equipment and supplies |
Alamance Community College is committed to providing equal educational opportunities for students with documented disabilities. Students who require accessibility services or reasonable accommodations must identify themselves as having a disability and provide current diagnostic documentation to the Accessibility Services Office located in the Main Building, Room 233. All information is confidential. Please contact the Accessibility Services Coordinator for more information at 336-506-4130 or email at accessibilityservices@alamancecc.edu and notify your course instructor of your special needs, as appropriate. Students should initiate this process as soon as possible (prior to the start of classes and/or field experience).
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Dental Assisting Program Estimated Costs and Fees |
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Student Activity Fee |
$35.00 |
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Curriculum Instructional Technology Fee |
$27.00 |
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College Access, Parking & Security (CAPS) Fee |
$18.00 |
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Student Accident Insurance |
$1.00 |
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Lab Fees |
$650.00 |
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Background check, drug screening, uniforms, shoes, protective eye wear, Nitrous course, CPR course, stethoscope, blood pressure cuff and Dentafoom teeth |
$750.00 |
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Malpractice Insurance |
$48.00 |
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*Does not include cost of tuition. Tuition will vary from semester to semester depending on the number of credit hours taken. |
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Have you applied for Financial aid? Please visit Financial Aid for instructions |
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Questions? Contact Us.
Susan Turner
Health Sciences Advisor
sjturner588@alamancecc.edu
336-506-4266
Joanna Roberts
Department Head
Joanna.Roberts@alamancecc.edu
336-506-4153
Kristi Hussey
Coordinator/Instructor
kkhussey478@alamancecc.edu
336-505-4121
Why Wait?YOU BELONG HERE |
CODA Accreditation: The Dental Assisting program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) of the American Dental Association (ADA), 211 East Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL 60611, 1-800-621-8099. www.ada.orgz