The Dental Assistant program at Missouri College is designed to prepare students to assist in a variety of dental office situations. Students receive training in dental anatomy, pathology and terminology, dental instruments and materials, x-rays and radiography, chairside assisting techniques, as well as dental laboratory and office administration procedures. The core curriculum is structured to include a lecture component, a laboratory component, and a clinical component. The final externship portion of the Dental Assistant program consists of supervised experiences in a clinical environment, which requires competencies, logs, and evaluations completed by the student. At the conclusion of the program, graduates who have diligently attended class and their externship, studied, and practiced their skills should have the skills to seek entry-level employment as dental assistants.
The Dental Assistant program at Missouri College is programmatically accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association (ADA). Therefore, graduates of Missouri College's Dental Assistant program are eligible for and encouraged to take the certification exam offered by the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) upon graduation. This credential is a nationally recognized voluntary certification that could enhance employment opportunities. Only graduates of ADA-accredited dental assisting programs are eligible to take this exam upon graduation. However, certification requirements for taking and passing this examination are not controlled by Missouri College but by outside agencies and are subject to change by the agency without notice. Therefore, Missouri College cannot guarantee that graduates will be eligible to take this certification exam, at all or at any specific time, regardless of their eligibility status upon enrollment. |
