Dental Assisting (Levels I and II)

Program Overview

If you have an interest in helping others in an oral health care setting and becoming a valued member of a dental team in your community, this may be the profession for you. Students will acquire knowledge, skills and training in the professional behavior necessary to work as a Level II dental assistant, providing education and care in a variety of dental settings.

Dentistry

Restoration

Prevention

Admission Requirements

Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or Mature Student Status
Grade 12 English (C or U) (minimum 60 per cent)
Grade 11 or 12 biology (C, M or U)
Grade 11 or 12 chemistry (C, M or U)

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Intakes and Availability

Date	Domestic Availability	International Availability
May 2020	Closed	Closed
September 2020	Waitlisted	Open
January 2021	Open	Open
May 2021	Open

Tuition

Year one domestic: $3,984 (CDN)
Year one international: $14,585 (CDN)

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Semester 1 Courses

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Career Options

WHAT YOU COULD BE:

Clinical co-ordinator
Dental assistant

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Program Details

This one-year Ontario college certificate program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada. It provides access to academic studies, clinical experience and current radiography techniques. You will finish the program by completing a field placement experience within the community to further prepare you to work effectively as a Level I and II dental assistant as part of an oral health-care team.

You will also learn:

Business administration skills
Dental laboratory skills
Oral health education

Your academic and clinical studies will be based on the most current theory of dental assisting practice including:

Emphasizing professional and ethical principles
Working interdependently and collaboratively with health-care professionals
Knowledge of the various practice specialties available

Graduates are eligible to write the National Dental Assisting Board Exam and are also eligible for certification by the Ontario Dental Assistants Association.

Admission Requirements

Ontario Secondary School Diploma or Mature Student Status
Grade 12 English (C or U) (minimum 60 per cent)
Grade 11 or 12 biology (C, M or U)
Grade 11 or 12 chemistry (C, M or U)

Courses

Semester 1

Semester 2

Courses and course descriptions are subject to change.

Costs

YEAR ONE FEES	Domestic	International
Tuition	$3,984	$14,585
Compulsory Ancillary	$1,337	$1,812
Program Incidental	$1,320	$1,320
Total Fees:	$6,642	$17,716

Please note: fees are based on the 2019-2020 academic year and do not include textbooks. For more information please see Other fees to consider.

Career Options

WHAT YOU COULD BE:

Clinical co-ordinator
Dental assistant

WHERE YOU COULD WORK:

Armed forces
Chronic care institutions
Correctional institutions
Dental supply companies
General dental practices
Hospital dental clinics
Insurance industry
Public health units
Specialty dental practices
Teaching institutions

Field Placement

A field placement is an opportunity for students to extend learning and apply practical skills beyond the clinical environment in the program to a general dentistry setting in the community. This is a consolidation period, where further development of knowledge, skills and attitude will occur with continued practical, hands-on learning opportunities. The 96-hour field placement in a general dental office occurs at the end of Semester 2 and will run for approximately one month following the conclusion of final exams.

PRE-PLACEMENT REQUIREMENTS

Please note: There are costs associated with Electronic Student Permit Checking (ESPC), immunizations, lab tests and certifications. Be sure to keep all of your receipts for income tax purposes. These costs include:

Service fees for Verified, our documentation collection and ESPC verification partner.
Costs to complete mandatory immunizations, lab tests, and certifications.

It is required that students have completed the ESPC with Verified to be eligible for the field placement component of this program. You must (at your expense) provide:

A clear and current Criminal Reference Check (CRC) with Vulnerable Sector Screening (VSS) (Semester 4 and 6 students only). If you cannot provide a clear CRC with VSS, you may not be accepted for placement by a field placement agency. CRCs with VSS must be obtained from your local police station. You may be required to obtain additional CRCs with VSS to meet field placement agency requirements
Current Level C CPR from a recognized provider
Current emergency first aid certification from a recognized provider
Entry immunization form completed by a health-care provider

Links:

Program Transfer, Degree Completion and Additional Credentials

Qualified graduates can apply to Durham College’s Dental Hygiene or Dental Reception and Administration programs. Durham College also offers degree completion opportunities with a number of Canadian and international institutions.

Please visit our pathways page to learn more about how you can transfer your credits towards a degree.

COVID-19 Information

Dental Assisting (Levels I and II)

Program Overview

Admission Requirements

Intakes and Availability

Tuition

Semester 1 Courses

Career Options

WHAT YOU COULD BE:

Program Details

Admission Requirements

Courses

Semester 1

Semester 2

Costs

Career Options

WHAT YOU COULD BE:

WHERE YOU COULD WORK:

Field Placement

PRE-PLACEMENT REQUIREMENTS

Program Transfer, Degree Completion and Additional Credentials

Helpful Resources

College guide September 2020 [PDF]

College guide September 2020 [Interactive]

Graduate Employment Report [PDF]