Dental Assistant

Career Path

Attending and graduating from Broward College's Dental Assisting Program gives the dental assistant several different career pathways, from private practice dental offices to the armed forces and public health. Many hospitals have incorporated dental clinics within their institutions to provide dentistry for patients who are confined to the hospital or for outpatient services to patients with a specific disease. After earning the Applied Technology Diploma (ATD) in Dental Assisting, the dental assistant can work in a dental office performing all the dental assisting expanded functions outlined by the Florida Board of Dentistry. The CODA-accredited, DANB-certified dental assistant can also decide to earn the Associate of Science Degree in Dental Assisting or Dental Hygiene.

This program meets public institution criteria as a Gainful Employment Program as stipulated by the US Department of Education; as such, the college is required to disclose the following information:

Job Placement Rate

Job placement rate of all program graduates in the State of Florida according to the Florida Education and Training Placement Information Program (FETPIP): 51%

Job placement rate of Broward College graduates who find work within the field after receiving their certification: 44%

Median Pay

The median pay per year is $34,500 per year and $16.59 per hour

Job Outlook

The job outlook is projected to grow 25% from 2012-2022, which is much faster than the average for all occupations.

Find Dental Assisting jobs now

On-time Completion Rate

The completion rate of students who have graduated from the program of study within the full-time attendance time frame.
Program Length: 12 months
On-time Completion Rate: 97%

Dental Assisting Success Rates

99% pass rate 2017-2018 program graduates in the Dental Assisting National Board first attempt.

100% pass rate 2018-2019 program graduates passed the Dental Assisting National Board's first attempt.

Dental Hygienist

Career Path

Wherever you practice your profession, the strong academic and clinical components of our program will prepare you for ongoing success in the field of dental hygiene. Our program will give you success in the pathway of your choice and in the following employment opportunities:

• Solo or group practices
• Specialty practices
• Public health dentistry
• Hospital dental clinics
• Insurance companies
• Sales representatives for dental products
• Teaching in dental assisting, dental hygiene, or dental schools

Median Pay

$70,210 per year and $33.75/hr.

Job Outlook

The job outlook is going to increase by 33% between 2012 and 2022 which is much higher than average. The average increase for all occupations is 11%.

All Broward College dental hygiene graduates may contact the department at 954-201-6779 for information and job listings. Student information for the year of graduation is required.

On-time Completion Rate

The completion rate of students who have graduated from the program of study within the full-time attendance time frame.
Program Length: 12 months
On-time Completion Rate: 100%

Dental Hygiene Examination Success Rates

94% of the 2014-2015 Broward College students who completed the program passed the Dental Hygiene National Board Examination.

94% of the 2015-2016 Broward College students who completed the program passed the Dental Hygiene National Board Examination.

100% of the 2016-2017 Broward College students who completed the program passed the Dental Hygiene National Board Examination.

100% of the 2017-2018 Broward College students who completed the program passed the Dental Hygiene National Board Examination.

If you are a person committed to helping others and promoting healthful living then dental assisting is right for you. If you're interested in a health career that gives you the responsibility of direct patient care, the convenience of flexible work hours, and the ability to practice anywhere in the world, dental hygiene may be right for you.

In order to be successful, both tracks require the following technical standards:

• Greet and seat patients
• Position patients for treatment
• Be proficient in technology as it relates to dentistry
• Use the sense of touch and sight in order to provide patient care
• Hear audible cues and warnings of equipment, such as the oxygen tank alarm signal
• Use both hands to manipulate instruments to operate the equipment
• Adhere to the professional code of conduct perform within the scope of practice, protect patients' rights and confidentiality
• Comprehend and employ appropriate medical/ dental terminology to be able to interact with associated physicians and/or dentists
• Exercise professional judgment and discretion to be able to identify life-threatening situations and implement appropriate emergency care
• Use interpersonal skills to professionally and sensitively interact with patients.
• Use oral and written communication to access clinical records
• Coordinate movement of equipment and accessories, such as portable machines

After achieving a certificate in dental assisting, you will be expected to:

• Sterilize equipment
• Remove surgical sutures
• Prepare dental filling materials
• Take impressions of study casts
• Place and remove periodontal dressings
• Expose, process, and mount dental radiographs
• Give oral health care instructions to patients and peers
• Work chairside with the dentist utilizing the four-handed dentistry technique

As licensed members of the dental team, dental hygienists provide a variety of preventive and therapeutic procedures that promote good oral health. After earning your A.S. in dental hygiene, you will be expected to:

• Apply fluoride and sealants
• Take diagnostic radiographs
• Provide nutritional counseling
• Work chairside with the dentist
• Remove calculus and plaque from teeth
• Assist the dentist in providing oral health treatments
• Provide oral health education to patients, peers, and the community
• Perform procedures that aid in the prevention and treatment of gum diseases

Infectious Disease Policy

All applicants must review and sign the College's Infectious Disease Policy (PDF) prior to enrollment, in addition to reviewing the drug testing and criminal background check information. All admissions, application information, prerequisite information, policies, and admissions instructions can be found on the Health Sciences Admissions page.

Student Clinical Sessions Acknowledgment

Initial dental hygiene instrumentation and local anesthesia training are completed on a manikin and then progress to student partner training. Students must be aware that to complete the Broward College Dental Hygiene program it is mandatory that each student perform various clinical skills on a student partner and in turn each student will have a student partner perform the same clinical skills on them.

Eligibility for Applying to the Limited Access Dental Assisting Program

• Be a student that is admitted to Broward College
• Submit transcripts
• Possess a minimum transfer and Broward College GPA of 2.5
• ENC 1101 Composition I
• SPC 1017 Introduction to Speech Communication or SPC 1608 Introduction to Public Speaking
• HESI Exam
• Selection is based on the highest points. The point structure is listed on the Health Science admission page

Eligibility for Applying to the Limited Access Dental Hygiene Program

• Be a student that is admitted to Broward College
• Submit transcripts
• Possess a minimum transfer and Broward College GPA of 2.5
• Complete a Florida CODA-accredited Dental Assisting program within the last three years, and earn the CDA certificate through successful completion of the Dental Assisting National Board Examination
• ENC 1101 Composition I
• SPC 1017 Introduction to Speech Communication or SPC 1608 Introduction to Public Speaking
• POS2041 National Government or AMH2000 History of the United States since 1877
• SYG 2000 Principles of Sociology
• General Education Mathematics
• General Core Humanities
• BSC 2085 Anatomy Physiology I
• BSC 2085L Anatomy Physiology I Laboratory
• BSC 2086 Anatomy Physiology II
• BSC 2086L Anatomy Physiology II Laboratory
• MCB 2010 Microbiology
• MCB 2010L Microbiology Laboratory
• HUN 1202 Essentials of Nutrition
• CHM 1032 Chemistry for Health Sciences

Selection is based on the highest points. The point structure is listed on the Health Science admission page.

How to Apply

• Submit a Broward College application and a $35 application fee
• Send all official high school and post-secondary institutions' transcripts
• Submit a Health Sciences Limited Access Application and a $20 application fee

For the Dental Assisting or Dental Hygiene application, the minimum transfer GPA, high school GPA, and if applicable, BC GPA is 2.5.

Enrollment in dental programs is limited. Meeting the admissions requirements does not guarantee program acceptance. The thirty-six students with the highest points who meet Dental Assisting admission requirements will be admitted into the Dental Assisting program. The twenty students with the highest Broward College Cumulative GPA who meet Dental Hygiene admission requirements will be admitted into dental hygiene. Please note that neither the Dental Assisting program nor the Dental Hygiene program has a waiting list.

The faculty of both programs are in compliance with Broward College and the Commission on Dental Accreditation requirements. All the faculty of the dental assisting and dental hygiene programs have extensive professional dental experience.

Program faculty serve as lecturers, lab instructors, and clinical mentors to Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting students during their time at Broward College.

Our instructors include graduates from Rutgers, Texas Women's University, New York University, Nova Southeastern University, University of Florida, University of Arizona, Southern Illinois University, Boston University, and St. Petersburg College.

Mission

The Mission of the Dental Assisting and Dental Hygiene programs is to prepare competent, ethical, and culturally sensitive entry-level clinicians who are dedicated to lifelong self-directed learning. The program is committed to preparing dental clinicians who are capable of functioning in a dynamic and ever-changing area of health care delivery. The programs exist to provide technical and professional education to benefit all segments of the community. The Dental programs are committed to quality instruction delivered by dedicated faculty who are engaged in continued professional development.

The program is committed to accomplishing its mission by utilizing effective and diverse instructional methods that encompass both traditional and technology-based strategies. The goal is to prepare competent entry-level clinicians in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains.

Our goal is to help you succeed

Dental Assisting Philosophy

Realizing the demands of the community and the needs of the individual, Broward College has designed the dental assisting program to prepare individuals to be an integral members of the dental health team in the health care setting so they can make their greatest contribution to society and in which they can gain personal growth and satisfaction.

The Administration, Faculty, and the Dental Assisting/Hygiene Advisory Board of Broward College have established specific goals for the achievement of this objective within the Dental Assisting Program.

Dental Assisting Program Goals

Dental Hygiene Philosophy

Realizing the demands of society, Broward College has designed its programs to prepare individuals for vocations in which they can make their greatest contribution to society and in which they can gain personal satisfaction.

The Administration, Faculty, and the Dental Assisting/Hygiene Advisory Board of Broward College have established specific goals for the achievement of this objective within the Dental Hygiene Program.

Dental Hygiene Goals

Dental Hygiene Competencies

The following program competencies reflect the knowledge and clinical skills necessary for the competent practice of dental hygiene. Achievement of these competencies requires general education background in oral and written communications, psychology, and sociology and a foundation in the biomedical sciences of anatomy, physiology, chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, immunology, general pathology, nutrition, and pharmacology. The Commission on Dental Accreditation defines program competencies including:

1. Graduates must be competent in assessing the treatment needs and providing dental hygiene care for a diversity of patient types including children, adolescents, adults, geriatric, and special needs patients.
2. Graduates must be competent in assessing oral health, analyzing assessment findings, establishing a care plan for optimal health, providing patient-centered treatment and evidence-based care, and documenting all relevant treatment.
3. Graduates must be competent in providing dental hygiene care for all periodontal classifications, from gingivitis to severe periodontal disease.
4. Graduates must be competent in interpersonal and communication skills to effectively interact with diverse population groups and other members of the health care team
5. Graduates must be competent in assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating the effectiveness of community-based oral health and disease prevention programs
6. Graduates must be competent in providing appropriate life support measures for medical emergencies that may be encountered in dental hygiene practice.
7. Graduates must be competent in the application of the principles of ethical reasoning, ethical decision-making, and professional responsibility as they pertain to the academic environment, research, patient care, and practice management.
8. Graduates must be competent in applying legal and regulatory concepts to the provision and/or support of oral health care services.

Competencies

The following program competencies reflect the knowledge and clinical skills necessary for the competent practice of dental hygiene. Achievement of these competencies requires general education background in oral and written communications, psychology, and sociology and a foundation in the biomedical sciences of anatomy, physiology, chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, immunology, general pathology, nutrition, and pharmacology.

1. Graduates must be competent in assessing the treatment needs and providing dental hygiene care for a diversity of patient types including children, adolescents, adults, geriatric, and special needs patients. CODA 2-12
2. Graduates must be competent in assessing oral health, analyzing assessment findings, establishing a care plan for optimal health, providing patient-centered treatment and evidence-based care, assessing goal accomplishment, and accurately recording all documentation of patient care. CODA 2-13
3. Graduates must be competent in providing dental hygiene care for all periodontal classifications, from gingivitis to severe periodontal disease. CODA 2-14
4. Graduates must be competent in interpersonal and communication skills to effectively interact with diverse population groups and other members of the health care team. CODA 2-15
5. Graduates must be competent in assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating the effectiveness of community-based oral health and disease prevention programs. CODA 2-16
6. Graduates must be competent in providing appropriate support measures for medical emergencies that may be encountered in dental hygiene practice. CODA 2-17
7. Graduates must be competent in the application of the principles of ethical reasoning, ethical decision-making, and professional responsibility as they pertain to the academic environment, research, patient care, and practice management. CODA 2-19
8. Graduates must be competent in applying legal and regulatory concepts to the provision and/or support of oral health care services. CODA 2-20
9. Graduates must be competent in the application of self-assessment skills to prepare them for life-long learning. CODA 2-21
10. Graduates must be competent in the evaluation of current scientific literature. CODA 2-22
11. Graduates must be competent in problem-solving strategies related to comprehensive patient care and management of patients. CODA 2-23

Dental Assisting

The Dental Assisting Program is a full-time daytime 12-month program. Upon completion of the Applied Technology Diploma, the dental assisting graduate will have completed the equivalency of 50 college credits. Courses include:

• DES 1840C Preventive Dentistry
• DES 1100 Dental Materials and DES 1100L Dental Materials Laboratory
• DES 1502 Dental Office Management
• DES 1200 Dental Radiography and DES 1200L Dental Radiography Laboratory
• DEA 1000 Introduction to Dental Practice/Assisting
• BSC1084 Basic Anatomy and Physiology
  • The blended/online course will utilize processes to protect student privacy, and additional charges associated with the verification of student identity may be accessed at the time of registration and/or enrollment.
• DEA1030 Preclinical and DEA1030L Preclinical Laboratory
• DES1832 Expanded Functions I and DES1833 Expanded Functions II
• DES1832L Expanded Functions I and DES1833L Expanded Functions II Laboratory
• DES1805 Clinical Procedures I and DES1805L Clinical Procedures I Laboratory
• DEA1940 Clinical Practice I
• DEA1131 Allied Dental Theory
• DEA1936 Dental Seminar
• DEA1941L Clinical Practice II
• ENC1101 Composition I
• SPC1017 Introduction to Speech Communication or SPC1608 Introduction to Public Speaking
• POS2041 National Government or AMH2000 History of the United States since 1877

Certificate Requirements:

CPR/BLS-4.5 hour--Must be American Heart Association for Healthcare Providers with AED

Must be completed after admission and prior to the beginning of the program.

Dental Hygiene

After completion of a Florida, CODA-accredited 12-month Dental Assisting program and completion of college credit courses, students can apply to earn an Associate of Science degree in Dental Hygiene.

Students will be eligible to take the National Board of Dental Hygiene Examination, and after graduation, they will be eligible for Florida state licensure with the successful completion of the Commission on Dental Competency Assessments practical examination.

Core Courses include:

• DEH1002 Clinical Dental Hygiene Procedures and DEH1002L Clinical Dental Hygiene Procedures Laboratory
• DEH2400 General and Oral Pathology
• DEH1800 Dental Hygiene I and DEH1800L Dental Hygiene I Clinic
• DEH2300 Dental Pharmacology
• DEH1802 Dental Hygiene II and DEH1802L Dental Hygiene II Clinic
• DEH1602 Periodontology and DEH1602L Periodontology Laboratory
• DES1054 Pain Control and Anesthesia
• DEH1130 Oral Histology and Embryology
• DEH2804 Dental Hygiene III
• DEH2804L Dental Hygiene III Clinic
• DEH1934 Dental Hygiene Seminar
• DEH2701C Community Dental Health
• DEH2806 Dental Hygiene IV
• DEH2806L Dental Hygiene IV Clinic

Certificate Requirements:

CPR/BLS-4.5 hour Must be American Heart Association for Healthcare Providers with AED.

Dental hygienists work in a host of settings to deliver clinical care and work under varying levels of supervision. Each state enacts its own laws determining the services dental hygienists can perform, the settings in which they can practice, and the supervision under which they practice.

Practice-Act-Overview (PDF)

Posting Form for Policy on Third Party Comments

The Commission currently publishes in its accredited lists of programs the year of the next site visit for each program it accredits. In addition, the Commission posts its spring and fall Accreditation Announcements on ada.org, those programs being site visited January through June or July through December. Developing programs submitting initial accreditation applications may be scheduled for site visits after the posting of the Accreditation Announcements; thus, the specific dates of these site visits will not be available for publication. These programs will be noted in the Accreditation Announcements with a special notation that the developing programs have submitted initial accreditation applications and may or may not be scheduled for site visits. Parties interested in these specific dates (should they be established) are welcomed/encouraged to contact the Commission office.

The United States Department of Education (USDE) procedures also require accrediting agencies to provide an opportunity for third-party comment, either in writing or at a public hearing (at the accrediting agencies' discretion) with respect to institutions or programs scheduled for review. All comments must relate to accreditation standards for the discipline and required accreditation policies. In order to comply with the department's requirement on the use of third-party comments regarding the program's qualifications for accreditation or pre-accreditation, the following procedures have been developed.

WHO CAN SUBMIT COMMENTS: Third-party comments relative to the Commission's accredited programs may include comments submitted by interested parties such as faculty, students, program administrators, Commission consultants, specialty and dental-related organizations, patients, and/or consumers.

HOW COMMENTS CAN BE SOLICITED: The Commission will request written comments from interested parties in the spring and fall posting of Accreditation Announcements. In fairness to the accredited programs, all comments relative to programs being visited will be due in the Commission office no later than 60 days prior to each program's site visit to allow time for the program to respond. Therefore, programs being site-visited in January through June will be noted in the fall posting of Accreditation Announcements of the previous year, and programs scheduled for a site visit from July through December will be noted in the spring posting of the current year. Any unresolved issues related to the program's compliance with the accreditation standards will be reviewed by the site visit team while on-site.

Those programs scheduled for review are responsible for soliciting third-party comments from students and patients by publishing an announcement at least 90 days prior to their site visit. The notice should indicate the deadline of 60 days for receipt of third-party comments in the Commission office and should stipulate that comments must pertain only to the standards for the particular program or policies and procedures used in the Commission's accreditation process. The announcement may include language to indicate that a copy of the appropriate accreditation standards and/or the Commission's policy on third-party comments may be obtained by contacting the Commission at 211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, or by calling 1/800-621-8099, extension 4653.

TYPES OF COMMENTS CONSIDERED: All comments submitted must pertain only to the standards relative to the particular program being reviewed or policies and procedures used in the accreditation process. Comments will be screened by Commission staff for relevancy. For comments not relevant to these issues, the individual will be notified that the comment is not related to accreditation and, where appropriate, referred to the appropriate agency. For those individuals who are interested in submitting comments, requests can be made to the Commission office for receiving standards and/or the Commission's Evaluation and Operational Policies and Procedures (EOPP).

MANAGEMENT OF COMMENTS: All relevant comments will be referred to the program at least 50 days prior to the site visit for review and response. A written response from the program should be provided to the Commission office and the site visit team 15 days prior to the site visit. Adjustments may be necessary for the site visit schedule to allow discussion of comments with the proper personnel.

Adopted: (07/95) Revised: (01/97) Updated: (02/06)

INSTITUTION: Broward College

PROGRAM(S) TO BE REVIEWED: Dental Assisting and Dental Hygiene

NEXT SITE VISIT DATE: April 4, 2023 - April 6, 2023

60-DAY DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF COMMENTS IN THE COMMISSION OFFICE: February 3, 2023

(Commission on Dental Accreditation, 211 E. Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611)

Below are some resourceful industry links to give you more background information on being a dental hygienist or dental assistant.

• American Dental Assistants Association
• ADAA | About ADAA
• American Dental Hygiene Association
• American Dental Association
• Florida Dental Hygiene Association
• Florida Dental Assisting Association

Dental Assisting Programs

Health Science Admissions
healthscience@broward.edu 

Health Science Advisor
Aaron Dean
adean1@broward.edu 

Program Director
Susan Martin
smartin@broward.edu