Healthcare & Wellness >> Dental Assisting & Dental Radiography
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Dental assistants work to ensure patient comfort, prepare patients for treatment, clean and organize dental instruments, assist dentists during procedures, process x-rays, and conduct lab work.

Dental assistants also perform administrative tasks such as appointment scheduling, billing assistance, files management and general paperwork. Responsibilities vary by state and dental practice.

Program Overview
• Prepares individuals to become productive members of a dental team.
• Training follows Dental Assisting National Board guidelines for the National Entry Level Dental Assistant (NELDA) exam.

Prerequisites
• Placement into ENGL75 or ESOL72. Learn more at the FCC Testing Center.
• Successful completion of CAH 145 Foundations for Healthcare Careers.
• High School Diploma (or equivalent) - required for both National Entry Level Dental Assistant (NELDA) and Radiation Health & Safety (RHS) exams. RHS Certification is necessary to perform dental x-ray services in Maryland.
• Students must be 16 years of age or older.

Co-Requisite
• CPR (SAF157 Basic Life Support). Register for a CPR training class.

Registration
In-person registration is required in our Registration Office.

Program Courses
• CAH 145 Foundations for Healthcare Careers (36 hrs)
• CAH 439 Fundamentals of Dental Assisting (73 hrs)
• CAH 496 Oral Radiography with Clinical (39 hrs)