The skills taught during vocational dental training prepare the student to assist the dentist in a variety of tasks. These clinical responsibilities include: preparing and sterilizing instrument trays, oral inspections, taking vitals, and exposing and processing dental x-rays. Students are also trained in administrative tasks, such as appointment setting, patient charting, insurance forms, and accounts payable.
Although most states don't require a college degree for dental assistants, most do require some form of certification and/or licensing. In California, dental assistant must be certified to perform certain tasks. For this reason, American Career College's vocational dental training prepares students to earn their Coronal Polish Certification, Pit and Fissure Certification, and California Radiation Safety Certification, as well as their license as a Registered Dental Assistant.
The vocational dental training programs are typically much shorter than even an associate's degree program. Most of the dental assistant programs take approximately nine months to complete. At Concorde Career College, a dental assistant program at its Arlington, Texas, Jacksonville, Tampa, and Miramar, Florida campuses, offers eight-month programs. American Institute offers an evening classes program that takes between 13 and 14 months for students to complete.