Courses

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Modern Dental Assisting: DA Level I (MDA001)
80 Clock Hours Clinical and Didactic Instruction
12 Clock Hours Observation and Externship
Saturday Session 8am to 5pm
Evening Session T,R 6pm to 10pm
Evening Session M,W 6pm to 10pm

Tuition $ 1,595.00
Laboratory $ 475.00
Textbooks $ 225.00
Deposit $ 395.00
Total $ 2,690.00

Course Description
The Modern Dental Assisting: DA Level I Certification course at Dental Staff Institute consists of 80 hours of lecture/lab preparation and a 12 hour hands-on clinical internship in a general dental office with a practicing dentist. Students completing the program will obtain a Certified Dental Assistant (CDAI) certificate. Students will also obtain a Dental Radiography certificate, OSHA certificate and a CPR/AED card at the end of the course. All certificates issued will be recognized by the state of North Carolina and students will be able to accept a position upon completion of the program. The general dental internship will be required once the student has completed the ten week training preparation and will allow for review of all the techniques and skills developed over the previous weeks.

Course Outline

Week 1: Orientation (1 hour)
Student Handbook
Hepatitis B Form
Textbooks

Week 1: Unit 1 - Introduction to Dental assisting (1 hour)
History of Dentistry
Dental Assisting Today (becoming a CDA)
Members of the Dental Team
Dental Ethics/Dentistry and the Law

Week 1: Unit 2 - Dental Diseases, Oral Pathology, and Preventive Dentistry (3 hours)
Landmarks of the Face and Oral Cavity
Dentition (Teeth) and Occlusion (Bite)
Tooth Morphology
Dental Caries (tooth decay)
Periodontal Disease
Prevention and the Role of the Dental Assistant
Oral Pathology Review

Week 1: Unit 3 - Patient Information and Assessment (3 hours)
The Patient Record and Health History
Vital Signs
Video: Taking Vital Signs
Exercise: Taking Vital signs with manual and digital techniques
Oral Diagnosis
Exercise: Guided Introduction to Charting
The Electronic Patient Record

Week 2: Review from Week 1 (1.5 hours)
Review of dental anatomy, morphology, tooth numbers and charting
Charting Exercises and Practice Exams
Week 1 material examinations.

Week 2: Unit 1 - Foundations for Clinical Dentistry (3.5 hours)
Tour of the General Dental Office
Dental Hand Instruments
Preset Cassettes and Color Coding Systems
Exercise: Hand instrument Identification
Dental Headpieces and Rotary Instruments
Moisture Control
Video Demonstration of the Dental Dam
Anesthesia and Pain Control

Week 2: Unit 2 - Infection Control in Dentistry (3 Hour OSHA Certification)
Survey of Microorganisms
Disease Transmission and Infection Control
Disinfection
Instrument Processing and Sterilization
Dental Unit Waterlines
OSHA

Week 3: Review from Week 2 (1 hour)
Review of Instruments, Headpieces and Equipment
Review charting terminology and anatomy
Week 2 material examinations
Dental Charting Examination
Instrument ID examination

Week 3: Unit 1 - Delivering Dental Care (1 Hour)
Ergonomics
Delivering Dental Care

Week 3: Unit 2 - Introduction to Restorative Dental Procedures (1 hour)
General Dentistry
Matrix Systems
Preventive and Periodontics
Sealants and Polishing

Week 3: Clinical Exercise, Putting it all together! (5 hours)
Processing and Opening Instrument Packs and Cassettes
Setting up the dental operatory for preventive or restorative
Clinical Greet and Seat Exercise
Vital Signs Review
Clinical Charting Exercises
Four Handed Passing Exercises
Tofflemeyer Band Setup

Week 4: Review of Week 3 (1 hours)
Review of General Dental Procedures and Clinical Exercises
Week 3 material examinations
Charting and Terminology Practical Examination
Tofflemeyer Band Setup Practical Exam

Week 4: Unit 1 - Dental Specialties (2 hours)
Fixed Prosthodontics: Crowns and Bridges
Removable Prosthodontics
Dental Implants
Endodontics
Oral Surgery
Pediatric Dentistry
Orthodontics (and Invisalign)

Week 4: Unit 2 - Restorative and Esthetic Dental Materials (2 hours)
Restorative Materials
Liners, Bases and Bonding
Dental Cements

Week 4: Clinical Exercises, Putting it all together! (3 hours)
Processing and Opening Instrument Packs and Cassettes
Setting up the dental operatory for specialty procedures
Clinical Charting Exercises
Four Handed Passing Exercises
Mixing Amalgam, cements, bases and liners
Bonding Exercises

Week 5: Review of Week 4 (2 hours)
General and Specialty Procedures
Mixing Cements, bases and Liners
Amalgam and Bonding

Week 5: Unit 1 - Dental Impressions (1 hour)
Impression Materials and Techniques

Week 5: Unit 2 - Laboratory Equipment and Materials (1 hour)
Dental Models

Week 5: Clinical Exercises, Putting it all together! (3 hours)
Taking and Pouring Alginate Impressions
Fabrication of a custom tray
Fabrication of a vacuformed stent or tray
Trimming and Mounting Models

Week 6: Mid Term Review (1 Hour)

Week 6: Clinical Exercises Continued (5 hours)
Mixing cements
Taking Impressions
Fabrication of Provisional Restorations
Fabrication of whitening trays and stents
Polishing Dentures and Temporary Crowns
Pouring and trimming Models

Week 6: Mid Term (2 hours)
Mid Term Exam covering all topics to date.

Week 7: Unit 1 CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer (6 Hours)
The American Red Cross teaches this full-day course to help students respond to breathing and cardiac emergencies in adults, children and infants. Students will obtain CPR certification at the end of the class.

Week 7: Unit 2 - Medical Emergencies in the Dental Office (2 Hours)
Basic Pharmacology
Assisting in a Medical Emergency

Week 8: Dental Radiography - Didactic Portion (8 hours)
Foundations of Radiography; Equipment and Safety
Dental Film and Processing
Legal Issues QA and Infection Control
Intraoral Radiography
Extraoral and Digital Radiography

Week 9: Dental Radiography - Clinical Portion
Intraoral dental radiography using Rinn XCP instruments and the DXTTR Manikin.
Use of panoramic machine
Dental Radiography Written Exam

Week 10: Unit 1 - Ancillary Procedures
Business Operating Systems
Overview of Practice management Software
Marketing Your Skills
Finding Employment
Places to search
Resume and Interview
Becoming a DAII

Week 10: Review and Final Examinations (4 hours)

INTERNSHIP
An internship of 12 hours in a practicing general dentist’s office is required following the ten week Modern Dental Assisting course. A certificate will be awarded after successful completion of your internship.