The Dental Assistant Career Exploration course introduces learners to a fast‑growing and rewarding healthcare profession. Designed for individuals interested in dental care and patient support, this course provides an overview of the dental assistant role, daily responsibilities, and work environments. Learners explore the history and evolution of dental care, along with the training, certification, and requirements needed to pursue a successful career as a dental assistant in today’s dental practices.
Module 1: History of Dentistry
Provides an overview of the history of dentistry, the evolution of dental care practices, and the development of the dental assistant role within the dental profession.
Module 2: Becoming a Dental Assistant
Introduces dental career pathways with a focus on the dental assistant role. Topics include required training and education, certifications, and common dental specialties.
Module 3: Professional Skills & Requirements
Explores the skills and competencies needed to succeed as a dental assistant, including professionalism, soft skills, foundational medical knowledge, technical and computer skills, workplace risks, and compliance standards.
Module 4: A Day in the Life of a Dental Assistant
Examines typical work environments, daily duties and responsibilities, and patient, provider, and team interactions in dental settings.
Upon successful completion of this course, learners will be able to:
Describe the role and responsibilities of a dental assistant
Identify typical work settings and daily tasks in dental offices
Understand the history and evolution of dental care and dental assisting
Recognize how advances in technology and practice have shaped modern dentistry
Identify required training, education, and certification pathways for dental assistants
Evaluate whether a dental assisting career aligns with personal interests and goals
Certificate of completion
This class is an independent-study course. Students will have all the resources needed to successfully complete the course within the online material. A student helpdesk is available for technical support during the course enrollment.