To get into a dental assistant trade school such as Kaplan College, students must have a high school diploma or GED. In addition, some schools require that students have completed a science lab, such as one in biology, and demonstrate their math and English skills through transcripts, admission tests or scores on standardized tests. Other programs require students to have current cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification, and most want potential students to submit proof of current immunizations. At Harcum College in Pennsylvania, aspiring dental assistant students additionally must write a personal essay as part of the admissions process.
Classes at a dental assistant trade school cover topics including dental materials, dental radiology, chair-side dental assisting and updating patient charts. Students learn how to sterilize instruments, set out instruments and materials for various procedures, transfer instruments to dentists properly during procedures and use suction hoses to keep patients' mouths clear and dry. In addition, hands-on classes train students on how to take impressions of patients' teeth, make study casts from these impressions, create temporary crowns, remove sutures and apply topical anesthetics. Some dental assistant trade schools, such as Harcum College, also train students in expanded functions, which might include placing restorations in teeth. Dental assistant trade schools feature few unrelated general education courses.
Students who are interested in attending a dental assistant trade school should make sure their school of choice is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association. Completing training at an accredited school makes a dental assisting student eligible to complete the Certified Dental Assistant examination through the Dental Assisting National Board to earn certification in this field. The written exam of more than 300 questions covers topics including general chair-side assisting, infection control and radiation health/safety. Students also can choose to take the Certified Orthodontic Assistant examination if they want to work for an orthodontist, who is a dentist that straightens teeth. Certification can improve an individual's employment and compensation opportunities in this field.
As part of dental assistant training at a trade school, students usually must complete a hands-on externship in a dental office. During this internship, they practice the skills they learned in class under the supervision of a dentist and dental assistant and are evaluated based on their performance. Students can choose to train in a wide range of dental offices, including those of general dentists, oral surgeons or endodontists, who perform root canals. They additionally can choose to work with a periodontist, who treats gum disease, or a prosthodontist, who replaces missing teeth with permanent fixtures. A pediatric dentist who treats children and special-needs patients also can host a dental assistant student.