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Dental Assisting

Chemeketa offers the training you need to enter this rewarding career.

topics Health Sciences

Skills & InterestHelping People

CareersHealth Sciences

  • Dental Assistant working on a dental office
  • Dental Assistant in a dental office
  • Dental assisting student performing an examination.

Why choose Dental Assisting?

Chemeketa's Dental Assisting program prepares graduates to sit for their national Certified Dental Assistant exam. Chemeketa offers the training you need to enter this rewarding field. Our program is accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Accreditation and is partnered with Oregon Institute of Technology (OIT) to provide a Bachelor's degree option in Dental Hygiene. 

What will you learn?

Our experienced faculty will teach you the skills to meet our program outcomes –

  • Perform basic and expanded chairside functions to facilitate the completion of restorative and advanced operative procedures
  • Manipulate dental materials to support chairside and laboratory procedures
  • Perform basic office procedures necessary to assist in managing a dental practice
  • Demonstrate proficiency in exposing, processing and mounting dental radiographic images
  • Practice professional behaviors as applied to the workplace environment
  • Manage asepsis, infection control and hazard control protocol to promote a safe work environment

 

What will you do?

Dental assistants perform tasks in a dental office ranging from patient care to record keeping. Their duties vary by state and by the dentists’ offices where they work.

The Dental Assisting program prepares you to –

  • Help patients feel comfortable with upcoming treatments and procedures
  • Prepare the work area and instruments for patient treatment
  • Assist dentists during procedures
  • Instruct patients in proper dental hygiene
  • Process x-rays and do lab tasks under the direction of a dentist
  • Keep patient records of dental treatments

Program Goals

The program goals are for each student to –

  • Successfully complete the program
  • Obtain his/her professional credentials
  • Find satisfying employment in dentistry 

Here is more information about a career in dental assisting.

  • COSTS

    Once admitted to the program and prior to starting fall term, the following approximate expenses must be paid –

    • Immunizations/TB tests - $150
    • CPR class - $80
    • Criminal Background Check and Drug Screen - $115
    • Uniform and shoes - $350 (due at August orientation)

    See the total estimated cost list. The fees for the program are subject to change.

  • Program Application

    Apply now for the Fall 2023 Dental Assisting Program.

    Applications will be accepts until June 2, 2023.  Please visit the "Apply Now" section to review/submit the Dental Assisting Application. 

     

    If you have any questions or concerns regarding submitting your application, please contact the Health Sciences office at 503.399.5058.

  • Student Handbook

    Review our student handbook to get useful information about the program and being a student at Chemeketa.

  • Student Success Rates
    Dental Assisting Student Success Rates: 2018-19      2019-20     2021-2022     2022-2023 2023-2024
    Student Success Rates
    Number of Enrolled 36 24 36   35
    Number of Graduates 27   27 26 32
    DANB Pass Rate, first attempt       20  
  • CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK & DRUG TESTING

    Upon entry into the program, you will be required to pass a criminal background check and pass a ten-panel drug screening urinalysis conducted by a college approved vendor. If you do not pass the criminal background check and/or the drug screening, program registration will not be possible.

    If you are arrested during the time you're enrolled in the program, you must notify the Dental Assisting Program Chair of the arrest. Your status in the program will be reviewed by the Dental Assisting Program Chair and the Dean of Health Sciences. A possible outcome of the review may be your inability to continue in the program.

    For a list of disqualifying crimes, please see Disqualifying Crimes (short list) . For a more in-depth list please see Disqualifying Crimes Expanded List

    For more information, please call 503.399.5058.