New Mexico Junior College

The Dental Assisting Program prepares students for entry- level positions in one of the fastest growing healthcare professions – Dental Assisting. With a growing workforce over 300,000 strong, a career in dental assisting ranks as the fourth fastest growing  occupation in the healthcare technician field.

The purpose of this program is to familiarize students with all areas of administrative and clinical dental assisting focusing on the responsibilities required to function as an assistant in
a dental practice.

 This course covers the following key areas and topics:

➢ Introduction to the dental office and history of dentistry and dental assisting
➢ Legal aspects of dentistry including policies and guidelines
➢ Introductory oral anatomy, dental operatory, and dental equipment
➢ Introductory tooth structure including primary and permanent teeth
➢ The oral cavity and related structures
➢ Dental hand-pieces, sterilization, and other areas

Education & Certification
➢ Dental assistants and aides should have or be pursuing a high school diploma or GED.
➢ Students who complete this comprehensive course would be prepared to sit for the Dental
Assisting National Board (DANB) – Radiation Health and Safety (RHS) exam, and the DANB – Infection
Control Exam (ICE).
➢ In many states, DANB-RHS certification is required to work in dental radiography.
➢ In addition to facilitating entry-level administrative positions, this
course is ideal for students interested in pursuing a future formal dental hygienist program.