DA - Dental Assisting

Foundations of Dental Assisting is the first course in a sequential structure of learning that introduces students to the dental profession and their role as a Dental Assistant. Foundational knowledge and skills will be developed in behavioral sciences, biomedical sciences, oral health sciences and dental assisting theory and practice streams. Students will be able to integrate learning from all four streams and understand the relevance of foundational learning to dental assisting. Students will be introduced to the Simulation Lab, Oral Health Clinic and have opportunities to apply their knowledge in both settings. Prerequisite: Consent of the Department.

Patient Assessment I is the second course in a sequential structure of learning. This course educates students on patient assessments, findings and related procedures. Students will be able to integrate learning from all four streams of foundational learning to dental assisting. Students will be able to apply their knowledge in various lab and pre-clinical settings to build on their foundational learning. Prerequisites: DA 101 Foundations in Dental Assisting and Consent of the Department.

Patient Assessment II is the third course in the sequential structure of learning. This course continues to build on the foundational knowledge of course 2 with the emphasis on patient care and clinical procedures. Students will be able to integrate learning from all four streams and apply foundational concepts to dental assisting. Students will be able to apply their knowledge in a combination of lab, pre-clinical and clinical settings to build on their foundational learning. Prerequisites: DA 102 Patient Assessment I and Consent of the Department.

Clinical Practice I is the fourth course in the sequential courses of the Dental Assisting Program, the emphasis of this course is for the students to continue to build on integrating all four streams and have a greater understanding of the relevance of foundational learning through the ability to assess, plan, implement and evaluate dental assisting procedures and patient care procedures. Students will continue to apply foundational knowledge through actively participating in assisting within the Oral Health clinic with fellow students and patients and perform their skills on peers in a clinical setting. Prerequisites: DA 103 Patient Assessment II and Consent of the Department.

This is the final course in the sequential courses of the Dental Assisting Program, the emphasis of this course is for students to apply behavioral, biomedical, oral health sciences and dental assisting theory and practice into clinical practice. Students will apply their knowledge in office administration, assisting with patients in the Oral Health Clinic, treating patients in the Dental Assisting Patient Care Clinic and participating in an external practicum in a private dental practice. Prerequisites: DA 104 Clinical Practice I and Consent of the Department.