Dental Assistant Application 1

Dental assistants are essential team members in the dental office. Working closely with the dentist, hygienist and administrative staff, dental assistants use their skills to deliver quality oral care to diverse patient populations and to increase efficiency in the office.

Dental assistants work chairside with the dentist, in the business office and in the dental laboratory. Duties may include:

Instrument and operatory infection control
Preparation of instrument trays
Instructing patients on proper oral hygiene and post-treatment care
Maintenance of dental practice records and supplies
Exposing and processing of dental radiographs if the assistant is certified to do so
Scheduling appointments

Students will have the opportunity to obtain the following certificates by passing the following and meeting required Radiological Proficiency (RHS) and Expanded Functions Dental Assistant (EFDA) exams: Radiological Proficiency (RHS), Infection Control Exam (ICE) and Oregon Expanded Functions Dental Assistant (EFDA).

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Dental Assistant CC

Skills

Program Structure

Oregon Health Authority rules for students in clinical training

The Dental Assisting program follows the guidelines and requirements set forth by the Oregon Health Authority (OAR 409-030-0100 to 409-030-025). In order to obtain a clinical practicum or clinical experience, students must meet the following standards and requirements set forth by the state.

Note: If you have been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony, please contact the program director for additional information. Deadlines and due dates for completing OHA requirements may vary by program.

Criminal background check

Criminal background check must be completed prior to clinical placement and no more than three months before entering the program.

Drug screen

Drug screen must be completed prior to clinical placement and no more than three months before entering the program.

TB skin test (two step) or chest x-ray

There must be documentation of one of the following:

Two-step TB skin test or
Quantiferon Gold blood test or
If the results are positive, a clear Chest X-Ray (with lab report) is required

Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (Tdap)

There must be documentation the following:

Tdap/Td booster within the past 10 years

Varicella (Chicken Pox)

There must be documentation of oneof the following:

Two vaccinations or
Positive antibody titer (lab report required) or
Medically documented history of disease

Measles, Mumps & Rubella (MMR)

There must be documentation of one of the following:

Two vaccinations or
Positive antibody titers for all three components (lab reports required)

Hepatitis B

There must be documentation of one of the following:

Three vaccinations or
Positive antibody titer (lab report required)

COVID-19 (OAR 333-019-010)

Two vaccinations Pfizer or
Two vaccinations Moderna or
One vaccination Johnson & Johnson

Flu Vaccine

(Recommended by OHA and required by some employers)

Seasonal flu vaccine

BLS/CPR certification (must be provider-level and valid through the end date of the course)

Certification must be through the American Heart Association

Program Costs

Advising

Description and Outcomes

PROGRAM CODE: CC.DENTALASST

The Dental Assistant (DA) program is designed to prepare students for entry level positions in the dental care setting. The goal of the program is to graduate students that have demonstrated competencies in clinical and administrative practices as well as demonstrated work ethics and professional values consistent with that of the American Dental Association (ADA).

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS AND PREREQUISITES

This limited entry program requires the applicant to meet the program requirements prior to being formally admitted into the program. The requirements are to be completed in a four-phase process, with specific timelines for each phase. Information regarding specific requirements and timelines are located at www.clackamas.edu/dental-assistant.

The applicant must follow and complete all steps to be invited to continue through each phase of the admission process, with the final phase resulting in the opportunity to be invited for admission.

DA students will participate in unpaid, supervised externships in the dental care setting.
Disclaimer: Clinical training is required in order to complete certain Health Sciences programs offered by Clackamas Community College (CCC). Although CCC does not restrict program entry based on age, some college partners, such as healthcare agencies, organizations and clinics, require students to be at least 18 years of age before they can participate in clinical training. Students who intend to enroll prior to reaching 18 years of age should consult with the appropriate Health Sciences program director or administrator to determine when clinical training begins for their program and to understand any limitations.

RELATED INSTRUCTION OUTCOMES

Computation (1 course- MTH-050 Technical Mathematics I or MTH-065 Algebra II)

Use appropriate mathematics to solve problems.

Communication (1 course- WR-101 Workplace Writing or WR-121Z Composition I)

Read actively, think critically, and write purposefully and capably for professional audiences.

Human Relations (1 course- PSY-101 Human Relations)

Engage in ethical communication processes that accomplish goals.

PROGRAM OUTCOMES

Upon successful completion of this program, students should be able to:

demonstrate proficiency in exposing, processing, and mounting dental radiographs and digital imaging;
apply current concepts of occupational safety hazards, infection control and aseptic procedures to promote a safe work environment and prevent disease transmission;
perform entry-level chairside dental assisting skills;
demonstrate basic competencies in dental administrative practices;
assist with medical emergencies in the dental office.

Application packets with admission procedures and requirements are available online at www.clackamas.edu/dental-assistant.

For more information, contact healthsciences@clackamas.edu.

NOTES

Dental lab schedules (am/pm) are based on lottery. Information will be provided at orientation.

Current American Heart Association (AHA) BLS Provider (provider level CPR) and First Aid (AHA Heartsaver) certification are required during practicums. All DA students will be required to complete a criminal history background, provide proof of immunization, and students will be asked to take a drug test as arranged by the department.

Students must achieve a C or higher grade in all required courses prior to advancing to the next term.

Core curriculum is sequential and may not be taken out of order. Core curriculum is intended to be completed over three consecutive terms.

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Dental Assistant Requirements

Prerequisite requirements for program

Essential functions

To be successful in the Dental Assistant program and become employable, the student must be able to perform essential functions expected of the DA (see list below). Please contact the DA program regarding questions or concerns about these requirements.

Students must have the physical, intellectual and emotional abilities to provide safe patient care; visual acuity, hearing, speech, manual dexterity, physical strength and endurance must be maintained as well. The practice of dental assisting requires the following functional abilities with or without reasonable accommodations:

Visual acuity (clearness of vision)

With or without corrective lenses sufficient to assess patients and their own environments.

Detect changes in skin color or condition; collect data from recording equipment and measurement devices used in patient care; detect a fire in a patient area and initiate emergency action; reading and following instructions pertaining to dental materials; ability to perform oral procedures involving fine detail, including the use of indirect field of vision.

Hearing ability

With or without hearing aids to hear a patient’s call for help, to auscultate a patient’s vital signs and their own environment.

Detect sounds related to bodily functions using a stethoscope; detect audible alarms within the frequency and volume ranges of sounds generated by mechanical systems that monitor bodily functions; hear clearly during telephone conversations; effectively hear to communicate with patients and other healthcare team members.

Olfactory ability (smells)

Detect smoke from burning materials; detect odors from hazardous material spills.

Tactile ability (sense of touch)

Read and record patient vital signs; detect unsafe temperature levels in heat-producing devices used in patient care; perform intra-oral patient care procedures; detect anatomical abnormalities.

Strength and Mobility

Ability to lift 25lbs; prolonged time sitting and/or standing on feet (8-12 hours); repetitive bending and twisting.

Ability to speak, comprehend, read, and write in English

Able to question the patient about their condition; accurately relay information about the patient both verbally and in written communication to others.

Fine motor skills (ability to make movements using the small muscles in your hands or wrists)

Demonstrate eye/hand coordination; safely dispose of needles in sharps containers; manipulate small equipment and small dental instruments; manipulate dental materials; handle and pass dental instruments; place and move instruments in oral cavity.

Emotional stability to function effectively under stress

Ability to adapt to changing situations and to follow through on assigned patient care responsibilities.

Cognitive ability (reasoning and/or thinking)

Ability to collect, analyze and apply information.

Ability to make clinical judgments and manage decisions that promote positive patient outcomes.

ADA Accommodations

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1991 (ADA) mandates that reasonable accommodations must be made for individuals with disabilities. Any student who may need an accommodation for a disability should make an appointment with the Program Director and the Disability Resource Center.

Dental Assistant Application 1

Feb 28, 2022, 09:27 AM

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Review all information provided here on this webpage before completing the application.

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Dental Assistant Essay Questions

Application Essay Questions and Scoring Rubrics

The Dental Assistant application requires prospective students to answer two essay questions. The applications are “de-identified” prior to reviewing and scoring the essays to reduce bias. It is recommended students meet with one of the Health Sciences Academic Advisor prior to completing your application. A dental assistant job shadow is recommended, but not required.

Essay 1: (250 words or less) What are your goals for completing the Dental Assistant (DA) program?

Note: We are asking this question because we want to train students who are motivated to become dental assistants and ready to invest the time and effort required to be successful in the DA program.

Essay 1 Content	Criterion	Response exceeds expectations (5 points)	Response meets expectations (4 points)	Response indicates an opportunity to for growth and reflection (3 points)
Essay 1 Content	Candidates expresses job and/or professional goals for completing the DA program.	Response provides a clear, strong and detailed statement about the candidate's goals for completing the DA program.	Response provides a clear statement of the candidate's goals for completing the DA program.	Response shows an opportunity for the candidate to think deeply about their future job and professional goals.

Essay 2: (250 words or less) Describe in detail a work or training experience in which you used problem solving or critical thinking skills. What did you learn?

Note: We are asking this question because students in the DA program need to use critical thinking skills to be successful.

Criterion	Response exceeds expectations (5 points)	Response meets expectations (4 points)	Response indicates an opportunity to for growth and reflection (3 points)
The candidate describes an experience where problem solving/critical thinking skills were used in a work or training experience.	Response provides a clear, strong and detailed statement about a situation when problem solving or critical thinking skills were used in a work or training experience.	Response provides a clear statement about a situation when problem solving or critical thinking skills were used in a work or training experience.	Response shows an opportunity for the candidate to reflect about a time when they used problem solving or critical thinking skills in a work or training experience.
Criterion	Response exceeds expectations (5 points)	Response meets expectations (4 points)	Response indicates an opportunity to for growth and reflection (3 points)
The candidate is able to recall and write about what they learned from the experience.	Response provides a clear, strong and detailed statement about what they learned from the work or training experience.	Response provides a clear statement about what they learned from the work or training experience.	Response shows an opportunity for the candidate to reflect about what they learned from the work of training experience.