Dental Assisting/Assistant

Dental Assisting/Assistant programs prepare individuals to provide patient care, take dental radiographs (x-ray photographs), prepare patients and equipment for dental procedures, and discharge office administrative functions under the supervision of dentists and dental hygienists. Includes instruction in medical record-keeping, general office duties, reception and patient intake, scheduling, equipment maintenance and sterilization, basic radiography, pre- and post-operative patient care and instruction, chairside assisting, taking tooth and mouth impressions, and supervised practice.

California awards the most Associates degrees in Dental Assisting/Assistant of all US states with 295 degrees being granted last year. Students interested in Dental Assisting/Assistant can expect around 6% percent of their fellow classmates to be men and 94% percent to be women. Most students graduating in this field earn a Award of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years. The average starting salary for a graduate with a bachelor's degree in Dental Assisting/Assistant is $65,400.