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Dental Assisting – Certified

Build Dakota Scholarship Fund

Dental assistants are the “extra hands” of the dentist, and vital members of the dental health care team. Dental offices are clean, friendly, and interesting places to work. As a dental assistant, you will perform a variety of tasks, including:

  • Assisting general and specialty dentists during procedures
  • Recording patient medical histories and taking vital signs
  • Taking x-rays
  • Administering nitrous oxide/oxygen to patients
  • Polishing teeth
  • Fabricating casts for dental procedures
  • Preparing and sterilizing instruments and equipment for the dentist’s use
  • Performing office management tasks

Lake Area Tech’s 11-month diploma option will give you optimal hands-on experience. Expect to practice your skills, first in a modern dental lab at Lake Area Tech, and then at an off-campus clinical experience. Please note: There will not be enough clinical spots for everyone in Watertown. Please be prepared for an out-of-town clinical experience.

If you want more skills, experience, and a better springboard for further education, you can choose to go on for a 20-month Associate of Applied Science degree.

All graduates are eligible to complete the Dental Assisting National Board and meet all requirements to be registered in radiology and expanded functions by the South Dakota Board of Dentistry. To be accepted into this program, the American Dental Association requires all applicants to have a high school diploma or GED.

Please contact admissions or dental faculty for more information.

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Accreditation

The program in dental assisting is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. The Commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education. The Commission on Dental Accreditation can be contacted at (312) 440-4653 or at 211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611. Check out their website.

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Professional Licensure

Lake Area Technical College’s curriculum for Dental Assisting meets the educational requirements for professional licensure in South Dakota and many other states. Professional licensure and certification requirements often vary from state to state. Prospective or current students considering an academic program that leads to a professional license or certification are strongly encouraged to seek guidance from the appropriate licensing agency in the state you plan to work before beginning an affiliated academic program. Read more here regarding Professional Licensure Disclosures.