Get the Skills to Be a Professional Dental Assistant

IntelliTech College Dental Assistant students practicing — In only 10.5 months*, you could be starting a fulfilling career helping others have a beautiful smile as a Dental Assistant. Get started today!

10.5 Month^* Hands-On Dental Assistant Program in Grand Junction

It’s generally believed that we only get one chance to make a good first impression. A person’s smile will often define how they are perceived long after that first encounter.

In fact, about 45% of survey participants agree that a smile is the most attractive feature, regardless of age. A new study by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) finds that a great smile can be our strongest asset and goes a long way in making an incredible first impression.

If your goal is to help provide a winning smile and healthy teeth for dental patients, let us provide the education and skills to attain that goal with our 10.5-month^* Dental Assistant training program.

Dental Assistant

$46,170 median annual salary***

11% Job Growth between 2020 to 2030
Graduates hired by dental offices, hospitals, & public health centres
Graduates will be prepared to sit for the National Entry Level Dental Assistant (NELDA) exam
Advance into a Dental Hygienist, Dental Lab Tech, Dentist and much more!

*** https://www.onetonline.org/link/localwages/31-9091.00?st=CO&g=Go visited on May 26, 2022. Salary source for dental assistants in Colorado with lowest 10% earning $29,990 to the highest 10% of workers earning $60,100.

What Does a Dental Assistant Do?

Dental Assistants perform tasks that range from patient care and taking x-rays to record keeping and scheduling appointments. Some duties vary by state and by the dentist’s offices where they work. Typically, assistants may prepare patients and work areas for treatments, help dentists handle instruments, and instruct patients on oral hygiene.

Dental Assistant Job Opportunities

Dental offices & hospital clinics
Dental laboratories
Dental equipment & product sales
Dental insurance companies
Dental educators
and more!

I have been able to develop skills I never knew I would be capable of achieving. I actually want and am excited for my future.
Liberty Wethington, IntelliTec Cosmetologist Program Graduate - Grand Junction Campus, November 2018

Is a Career as a Dental Professional Right for You? Take the IntelliTec 'Dental Professional Career Training Readiness Quiz'

This fun, online quiz takes 3-minutes to complete and you’ll get a personalized report. Identify your strengths and social style plus the training and positions you’re best suited for. Get Your Career Training Readiness score now.

Dental Assistant Salary Potential

IntelliTec College provides career-training programs for entry-level positions. Salaries vary depending on geographic location, economic conditions, and willingness to relocate. Salaries by occupation and specific location can be found on the O*NET website. National figures for labor market activity, working conditions, and price changes in the economy are available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. You can also visit the campus career services department to learn where IntelliTec College graduates work and the beginning salaries in their respective careers.

How Is the Job Outlook for the Next 10 Years?

According to the US Department of Labor, job opportunities are expected to be good with ongoing research linking oral health and general health increasing the demand for preventive dental services. Dentists will continue to hire more dental assistants to complete routine tasks, allowing the dentist to see more patients in their practice and to spend their time on more complex procedures.

When Do Dental Assistants Usually Work?

Most dental assistants work full time. Some may work evenings or weekends.

Get All the Important Details

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Dental Assistant Program

Graduates will have developed skills in a hands-on learning environment to function effectively as an integral member of a dental health team. Graduates will be prepared to function as an entry level dental assistant, and assume the responsibilities of performing chairside assisting procedures, maintaining and supplying clinical areas, scheduling patient appointments, maintaining patient charts and records, producing dental radiographs of diagnostic quality, as well as positioning and preparing patients for treatment or surgery. The graduate will be prepared to sit for the National Entry Level Dental Assistant (NELDA) exam.

Location:

Grand Junction

Program length: 10.5 Months*

Award: Certificate

Credit hours: 54

Credentialing Information: National Entry Level Dental Assistant (NELDA – DANB)

SKILLS & TRAINING

Skills students learn in the classroom and in our modern clinical setting during practical laboratory hours include:

Chairside assisting including patient positioning, instrument usage, and anesthetics
Office administration including billing and coding, dental charting, and management software
Dental radiography practices of processing, mounting and safety procedures
Specialized applications such as periodontics, implants, and pharmacology
Recognition of dental materials such as composites, amalgam and bases and liners
Additionally, dental assistant students gain experience by providing dental services to the community in Grand Junction. Call (970) 245-8101 between Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. to schedule an appointment.

Dental services include:

Coronal Polishes
Impression for Mouth Guards
Impression for Bleach Trays
Full Mouth & Panoramic X-rays
Jewel bonding

Some services may incur a fee. Please ask about the cost of your service when you set your appointment time.

COURSES

Here’s what will you learn in the Dental Assistant program:

: Dental Office Administration

DT-100 Dental Office Administration

This course will provide an introduction to clerical and administrative functions associated with the Dental industry. The student will develop reception techniques and methods for interacting with patients and coworkers. In addition, the student will be introduced to patient records, billing and coding, dental charting, treatment planning, OSHA regulations, infection control and practical application of Dentrix Dental Office Management Software and a variety of common clerical and administrative functions. The student will explore an awareness of today’s workplace with the diversity, teamwork, technology, market competition, community relations, initiative and adaptability, learning styles, problem solving, and customer relations that transform the way we do business. Students will develop written and oral communication skills, as well as professional presentation in body language, appearance, and business etiquette.

Credit Hours: 8.0
Prerequisite(s): CCR-100

: Science of Dentistry

DT-112 Science of Dentistry

This course introduces the correlation between oral and systemic health. The focus is on head and neck anatomy, preventive dentistry, presentation, volunteer work, research, tooth morphology, and dental patient education.

Credit Hours: 8.0
Prerequisite(s): CCR-100

: Dental Radiography

DT-200 Dental Radiography

This course presents theories and techniques of radiation health and safety including physics, biology, x-ray units, types of films, quality assurance, storage, interpretation, and patient safety. Hands-on techniques of radiation health and safety are presented in a laboratory setting. Topics include processing, mounting, and in-depth safety practices.

Credit Hours: 8.0
Prerequisite(s): CCR-100, DT100, DT112

: Dental Chairside Assisting

DT-220 Dental Chairside Assisting

This course features a dental office laboratory setting and treatment room with hands-on practice of patient positioning, instrument usage, sterilization procedures, and anesthetic application techniques providing an intense focus on chairside assisting. Every procedure is defined and demonstrated with the didactic skills developed individually to assist the Dentist.

Credit Hours: 8.0
Prerequisite(s): CCR-100, DT100, DT112

: Dental Specialties Procedures & Materials

DT-221 Dental Specialties Procedures & Materials

This course explores the responsibilities and functions of the Dental Assistant in a variety of specialized applications including periodontics; dental implants; oral and maxillofacial surgery; hospital dentistry; pharmacology; and dental emergency management with recognition, prevention, proper response and emergency treatment. Concise presentation of theory is bolstered by extensive hands-on skill development in a simulated clinic environment. Students will explore various dental materials such as composites, impression materials, gypsum products, dental cements, dental amalgam, bases and liners. Model trimming procedures are presented in this course. Students will practice fabrication including custom tray construction and prosthodontic materials.

Credit Hours: 8.0
Prerequisite(s): CCR-100, DT100, DT112

: Dental Externship

DT-230 Dental Externship

Students receive real-world, practical experience in a practicing dental office or clinic applying the knowledge and utilizing the skills developed as a dental assistant.

Credit Hours: 5.0
Prerequisite(s): CCR-100, DT100, DT112, DT200, DT220, DT221

: College and Career Readiness

CCR-100 College and Career Readiness

College and Career Readiness is the ﬁrst six-week course designed to prepare students for Career Training Success. Classes meet 20 hours per week, Monday through Thursday. Class times available are either 9:00am – 2:00pm for day time students and 5:00pm – 10:00pm for night time students.

Credit Hours: 8
Prerequisite(s): None

: Advanced Career Development

ACD-150 Advanced Career Development

Advanced Career Development is oﬀered toward the end of your program and is designed to prepare students for Career Success. Classes meet for a total of 15 hours during the scheduled term.

Credit Hours: 1
Prerequisite(s): None

Externships

The Dental Assistant Certificate program includes an externship at an approved outside facility to provide the student with supervised on-the-job training and the opportunity to practice skills learned throughout the program and gain specialized knowledge of individual skills.

Dental Industry Certifications

Students may receive the opportunity to sit for the following certifications:

National Entry Level Dental Assistant Exam through the Dental Assistant National Board (DANB)
Infection Control
Radiology
Anatomy & Physiology

After Graduation

Your training at IntelliTec College will prepare you for the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) exam. Please note that 3500 hours of general chairside office training is required before taking the exam.

Is Hands-On Training for a Career as a Dental Assistant Right for You?
Get More Info…

If you’re interested in exploring whether IntelliTec College’s educational training programs for career opportunities in that field are right for you, fill out the form on this page to receive more information.

A helpful IntelliTec College Admissions Representative will be happy to answer any questions you have and can help with everything from determining the right career path for you to discussing financial aid options.

*Program length when completed as designed.