Dental Assisting Home  |  Dental Department Home

Dental Assisting Program Goals

1. To provide a student-centered teaching environment that engages the students as active learners.
2. To educate dental assisting students in the ethical, legal, and competent practice of dental assisting.
3. To prepare students to assist the dentist in the delivery of dental treatment.
4. To prepare students to function as integral members of the dental team while performing chairside and related office and laboratory procedures.
5. To prepare dental assistants with the interpersonal skills and necessary competencies to provide patientcentered care.
6. To educate students on current technologies and the skills necessary to adapt to a rapidly changing healthcare system.
7. To engage students in the promotion of dental health ideals through service to the community and involvement with professional organizations.

Dental Assisting Program Outcomes

1. Graduates of the Dental Assisting program will be able to demonstrate a sound grasp of basic skills and knowledge in the basic sciences, dental sciences, general education, and dental assisting science.
• 85% of the Dental Assisting program graduates taking the Dental Assisting National Board will pass the exam.
2. Graduates of the Dental Assisting program will be clinically proficient.
   • At the close of their final term, 85% of the graduates will be able to practice dental assisting skills with an 85% proficiency as directed by the Dental Assisting program faculty in Capstone Course – Clinical Practice II (DEN107).
3. Graduates of the Dental Assisting program will be employed in the field or continue their education in dentistry or a related field.
   • 50% of the responding graduates of the Dental Assisting program will report employment in the field or enrollment in an educational program on the Completer/Graduate FollowUp Survey.
   • 75% of the responding (previous year) graduates of the Dental Assisting program will report employment in the field or enrollment in an educational program on the Alumni Employment FollowUp Survey.
4. Employers of the Dental Assisting program graduates will rate the clinical and academic skills of the employees as above average or better.
   • The Employer Survey conducted each year will rate the graduates as above average on the three course area performance (competency) survey questions. "Above average" is higher than 3.0 on a 5 point scale; however, if any of the three survey questions has an individual rating below 3.0, that individual course area performance will be reviewed further.
   • 90% of the respondents to an Employer Survey conducted each year will respond that they would employ future graduates of the Dental Assisting program.

Note:  The Dental Assisting program meets or exceeds the stated goals/outcomes every year.