Associate of Applied Science in Dental Assisting (AASDA)

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(Please see the Undergraduate Program Offerings by Campus chart in the catalog or on the Herzing Website at www.herzing.edu/career-programs/downloads for a list of Herzing campuses offering this program.)

Program Description

The goal of the dental assisting program is to train the student to become a productive member of the dental health team. This includes preparing the student for a variety of duties performed by the dental assistant in the contemporary dental office, including chairside assisting, laboratory procedures, administrative duties, and expanded functions. Our ultimate goal is to prepare students to successfully gain entry-level employment as a dental assistant.

Program Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the student should be able to:

Perform chairside techniques for a variety of dental procedures, utilizing current concepts of dental assisting after preparation of the treatment room with the appropriate instruments and materials.
Perform entry-level expanded functions as allowable by State Regulatory Agencies.
Perform laboratory procedures including operating dental equipment used in laboratory settings.
Apply appropriate dental terminology related to patient care, records maintenance, and business office procedures.
Demonstrate first aid and management techniques to medical emergencies in dental practice.
Articulate appropriate attitude and ethical conduct for gaining trust of associates and patients.
Produce diagnostic radiographs utilizing appropriate safety measures.

Potential Occupational Titles

Potential occupational titles for this program include, but are not limited to, dental assistants.

Program Content

A minimum of 69.00 semester credit hours is required for graduation.

Required Courses

All courses, 43.00 semester credit hours, are required.

DS 101 - Chairside Assisting I 4.00 semester credit hours
DS 102 - Pre-Clinical Dental Assisting 4.00 semester credit hours
DS 105 - Dental Communications 1.00 semester credit hour
DS 107 - Dental Materials 3.00 semester credit hours
DS 108 - Dental Science 4.00 semester credit hours
DS 110 - Expanded Functions I 4.00 semester credit hours
DS 116 - Radiology 5.00 semester credit hours
DS 119 - Advanced Expanded Functions 2.00 semester credit hours
DS 119L - Advanced Expanded Functions Lab (MN Students Only) 2.00 semester credit hours
OR
DS 120 - Clinical Applications (OH Students Only) 2.00 semester credit hours
DS 152 - Chairside Assisting II 5.00 semester credit hours
DS 207 - Dental Ethics and Jurisprudence 2.00 semester credit hours
DS 294 - Dental Assisting Internship 7.00 semester credit hours *

Note:

* The student must have a program grade point average (PGPA) of 2.00 or above to continue in the program.

Required Courses in General Education

Students enrolled in this associate’s degree must complete a minimum of 24.00 semester credit hours in general education distributed among the following disciplines. Refer to the General Education section of the catalog for Herzing University courses that would satisfy these requirements. *

2.00 Semester Credit Hours in Computer Applications ♦ ▲
3.00 Semester Credit Hours in English Composition
5.00 Semester Credit Hours in General Education Electives
3.00 Semester Credit Hours in Humanities With a Critical Thinking Focus ** ♦
1.00 Semester Credit Hours in Information Literacy
4.00 Semester Credit Hours in Natural Science or Mathematics (College Algebra or Above)
3.00 Semester Credit Hours in Social or Behavioral Science
3.00 Semester Credit Hours in Speech

* Transfer students may transfer courses that are within 1.00 semester credit hour of the courses listed above to meet these discipline requirements. Any resulting deficiency in the total of 24.00 semester credit hours required in general education may be made up with general education electives from any of the listed disciplines.

** A course with a critical thinking focus would be a course that addresses the theories and application of critical analysis with an emphasis on developing sequential reasoning skills. Examples may be courses in critical thinking, philosophy, logic, or science.

♦ The state of Minnesota requires a minimum of 20.00 semester credit hours of general education for associate’s degrees, not counting computer applications. However, all Herzing University students in the AASDA program must complete a minimum of 24.00 semester credit hours in general education, including computer applications, to complete the requirement for graduation from this associate’s degree program. Minnesota students must complete at least 2.00 semester credit hours of general education in the humanities.

▲ Students in the AASDA program must take DS 204 - Dental Management to fulfill this general education requirement.

Personal and Professional Development Courses

2.00 semester credit hours are required.

PD 121 - Professional Development I (Semester Credit Hour Course) 1.00 semester credit hour
PD 202 - Professional Development II (Semester Credit Hour Course) 1.00 semester credit hour