Program Goals and Outcomes

Dental assistant program goals and outcomes

Penn Foster’s online Dental Assistant Program consists of nine courses to help you gain the knowledge and skills needed to begin your new career path as a dental assistant, including managing office operations, understanding dental health terminology and procedures, scheduling appointments, and updating patient records.

Dental Assistant

Career Diploma 5-9 mo As low as $50/mo
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800-275-4410 (9AM - 9PM EST)

Program Goal

The Dental Assistant career diploma program prepares students for an entry-level position as a Dental Assistant.

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to...

  • Discuss the personality traits, characteristics, and qualifications required to be a successful dental assistant along with the elements and principles of ethical decision making and HIPAA rules that underpin all good clinical practice
  • Explain the anatomy and physiology of the head, neck, and oral cavity, including parts of the teeth and types of teeth and how they’re charted in a dental office
  • Discuss the goals of preventive dentistry and the relationship between nutrition and dental caries
  • Identify infectious diseases, the modes of disease transmission, and their relationship to patients and occupational risks in a dental office
  • Describe the best practices and procedures for preventing disease transmission in a dental office, including occupational safety and administrative protocols
  • Describe the best practices and procedures for obtaining and evaluating radiographic images, including documentation, patient care, equipment, materials, and occupational safety, infection control, and administrative protocols. 
  • Describe the procedures used when assisting a dentist and/or dental hygienist in a dental office, including the materials, medications, and equipment used, documentation, and assisting with emergency situations, patients with special needs, and medically compromised patients
  • Describe the skills, strategies, and equipment used for successful communication in a dental office
  • Clean and sterilize dental instruments
  • Explain the front office responsibilities of a dental assistant, including bookkeeping, record keeping, scheduling, billing, processing insurance claims, and other duties using both physical and digital methods
  • Discuss the importance of professional appearance, professional development, and strategies for seeking employment and resume preparation

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