Associate of Applied Science in Dental Assisting

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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.

Program Content

A minimum of 68.00 semester credit hours is required for graduation.

Required Courses

All courses, 45.00 semester credit hours, are required.

DS 101 - Chairside Assisting I Semester Credit Hours: 4.00
DS 102 - Pre-Clinical Dental Assisting Semester Credit Hours: 4.00
DS 105 - Dental Communications Semester Credit Hours: 1.00
DS 107 - Dental Materials Semester Credit Hours: 3.00
DS 108 - Dental Science Semester Credit Hours: 4.00
DS 110 - Expanded Functions I Semester Credit Hours: 4.00
DS 116 - Radiology Semester Credit Hours: 5.00
DS 121 - Advanced Expanded Functions Semester Credit Hours: 4.00
DS 152 - Chairside Assisting II Semester Credit Hours: 5.00
DS 204 - Dental Management Semester Credit Hours: 2.00
DS 207 - Dental Ethics and Jurisprudence Semester Credit Hours: 2.00
DS 294 - Dental Assisting Internship Semester Credit Hours: 7.00 *

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 degree must complete a minimum of 21.00 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. *

9.00 Semester Credit Hours in Communication
3.00 Semester Credit Hours in Humanities (must include 3 semester credit hours of cultural diversity)
3.00 Semester Credit Hours in Mathematics
3.00 Semester Credit Hours in Social or Behavioral Science
3.00 Semester Credit Hours in Science

* 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 21.00 semester credit hours required in general education may be made up with general education electives from any of the listed disciplines.

Personal and Professional Development Courses

2.00 semester credit hours are required.

PD 121 - Professional Development I Semester Credit Hours: 1.00
PD 202 - Professional Development II Semester Credit Hours: 1.00