Dental Assistant Technical Certificate

This technical certificate program is one year (twelve months) and is composed of didactic and clinical instruction. It is designed and organized to promote the personal and professional growth of each student. The main objectives of the program are to prepare the student to function in the dental setting and to academically qualify for the Dental Assistant National Board certification examination and the Tennessee Board of Dentistry registry examination. The program in Dental Assisting is accredited by the American Dental Association’s Commission on Dental Accreditation, a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council on Post-Secondary Accreditation and the United States Department of Education.

Students desiring entrance into the Dental Assistant program must have the following on file:

1. Meet admission requirements for the College based on the admission or readmission status the applicant is seeking
2. VSCC Medical History and Physical Examination report
3. Application to Health Sciences Careers
4. Basic Skills Prerequisites: Acceptable placement scores or completion of all Learning Support competencies in Reading and Writing; and completion of Continuing Education math skills proficiency. 
5. Other requested documents or records.
6. Passing Criminal Background Check
7. This profession may expose the student to blood borne pathogens.  Therefore, the Dental Assistant Program follows all rules and regulations set forth by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).  The student is required to be immunized against infectious diseases as required by the clinical affiliates and OSHA regulations or complete a refusal document with the guidelines of the regulations.  Clinical affiliates may refuse clinical rotation access to students who fail to obtain the required immunizations.

The application deadline is May 15. Applicants are admitted into the program each August. Required prerequisites must be completed prior to admission. Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply early. The Dental Assistant courses begin in August and end the following August. Any questions about the program or the admissions procedure should be directed to the Program Director.