What to Look for in a Dental Assistant School
There are several factors to consider when you look for a dental assistant school including: comprehensive hands-on training, certification exam preparation, real clinical experience, flexible scheduling options, and career placement support. These essential elements help ensure you receive a quality education that prepares you for a successful dental assisting career.
With strong demand for the profession expected through the decade1, a dental assistant career can transform your life with stability, growth potential, and the opportunity to bring a smile to someone’s face. If you’re ready to start on the path to a new career, find a technical school with a dental assistant program that provides the training you need to succeed in this dynamic healthcare field.
Dental Assistant School with Institutional Accreditation
Institutions of higher education are accredited by governing bodies that demand member schools meet high educational standards. They review curriculum, faculty qualifications, student outcomes, and institutional integrity, and help schools maintain quality programs. Affirm that the schools you consider for dental assistant training are accredited.
Hands-on Dental Assistant Training
Hands-on training is a crucial component of your dental assistant’s education, teaching you the skills you need and giving you the time to perfect them. Quality dental assistant programs should include extensive practical experience components so you can:
- Practice with professional-grade dental simulators to master procedures before patient work.
- Access fully equipped dental labs to learn sterilization protocols and X-ray processing.
- Get direct experience with dental procedures ranging from cleanings to more complex oral procedures.
Check out the curriculum and look for courses that touch upon broad topics such as the history of dentistry, and more specific lessons like chairside assistance, four-handed dentistry, infection control, restorative procedures, and dental radiography.
Dental Assistant Schools Offering Real-World Clinical Experience
Clinical experience allows you to practice what you learn in real-world settings. Choose a dental assistant school that helps you find and complete an internship. The experience helps you work out the kinks and increases your confidence before you find your first dental assistant job. You can work with a variety of patients, learn about office operations, and discover specialties in dentistry such as Family, Orthodontics, Periodontics, Endodontics, Prosthodontics, Oral Surgery, and Pediatrics.
Dental Assistant School with Learning Flexibility
Whether you work, have family obligations, or just a busy life, you probably want options for when and how you learn. Some dental assistant schools offer blended learning with a combination of online and in-person instruction for convenience and flexibility. You may also be able to find one that has day and evening options. Before you enroll, check out the schedule and make sure you can fit it into yours.
Top-Notch Dental Assistant Instructors
Dental assistant schools often hire former—or even current—dental assistants to be part of their faculty. A valuable strategy, it means you learn from people who have invaluable experience in the field. They can teach you theoretical knowledge and also pull from their own careers to color it with real-world anecdotes. For all the what if scenarios you might imagine, your instructors can provide real examples.
Dental Assistant Certifications
Your dental assistant training should prepare you for the required certifications you need to work in your state. Check individual state requirements, but you should be ready and able to pass the Radiation Health and Safety (RHS) and Infection Control (ICE) portions of the Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) exam.
Professional Development for Dental Assistants
A successful career in dentistry involves more than just helping dentists and taking x-rays. Once you get past the foundational aspects of the profession, it’s important to develop more of the greater professional competencies. The best dental assistant schools should also teach you:
- Modern dental office management
- Current insurance and billing practices
- Effective patient communication skills
- Digital dentistry technologies
Learning these skills may make you more valuable to your practice and open up more career and earning opportunities.
Dental Assistant Career Services
Your dental assistant training should also go beyond the classroom, labs, and clinicals. Once you complete your program, you want a job. That’s where a good career services department can truly make the difference. Your school should help you with resumes, cover letters, and your job search.
Making Your Dental Assistant School Decision
Take your time and research multiple dental assistant programs. To make it easer to evaluate each program, use this little checklist of questions:
- Does the program offer extensive hands-on practice?
- Will you receive supervised clinical experience?
- How does the curriculum prepare you for certification?
- Do class schedules accommodate your needs?
- What graduate support services exist?
The dental assistant field offers you the chance to join a respected healthcare profession while building a secure future. Are you interested in learning more about dental assistant training? Lincoln Tech offers a comprehensive Dental Assistant Program at our Iselin, NJ and Lincoln, RI campuses. Fill out the form to get started on the path to a rewarding career.
1 US Bureau of Labor Statistics, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/dental-assistants.htm retrieved February 8, 2025.