Dental Assisting (Certificate of Achievement)
This program has a prerequisite course that is offered during the summer session only. This program is a two-semester certificate program which prepares the student for employment to work as a Dental Assistant (DA) as well as prepares the student for their state and national boards. Training includes four and six-handed dentistry in: basic and advanced chairside dental support procedures; sterilization of instruments and infection control; prepare and manipulate a variety of dental materials; work on the dental patients under the supervision of the dentist; California Dental Practice Act; oral and written communications in the dental setting; operate dental x-ray equipment including exposing, processing, and mounting dental radiographs manually and digitally; coronal polish; dental business administration software and responsibilities are also taught as well as all dental specialties. Students must complete four units of Directed Clinical Practice. This allows the student to participate in the externship to advance their clinical skills.
The program is accredited by the Dental Board of California and the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association, and is supported by the San Diego County Dental Society and the San Diego County Dental Assistants Society. Upon completion of the program the student is awarded a Certificate of Achievement from the college and will receive a Certificate of Performance to operate dental x-ray equipment in the State of California. Proof of completion in Coronal Polish will be presented to successful students at the completion of the program. The student is eligible to take the California Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) State written and practical boards and the Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) National written examination.
Eligibility for enrollment in this program is determined by a special admission process. Interested students should contact the admissions office at 619-388-2684 or the Program Director at 619-388-2697. Course repetition in this program is not permitted. This program is governed by the Allied Health Department Policies.
Directed Clinical Practice Requirement
Students accepted into this program will be required to successfully complete Directed Clinical Practice/ clinically-based courses held in health care facilities. These facilities may require background checks, including fingerprinting, as a condition of placement at the clinic.
Refusal to submit to a background check, or failure to meet clearance criteria established by the health care facility, may prevent placement in the Directed Clinical Practice/clinically-based course and thus, it may not be possible to successfully complete the program.
Health care facilities also require adherence to strict standards of conduct. Facilities may refuse educational access to any person who does not adhere to the facility's standards of safety, health and ethical behavior. This may be cause of removal from the program.
Academic Requirements (Certificate of Achievement).
Transfer Information
Students planning to transfer to a four-year college or university should complete courses required for the university major and the general education pattern required by that transfer institution. See the Mesa College catalog TRANSFER INFORMATION section. Additional courses may be required to meet university lower-division requirements.
Course requirements at the transfer institution are subject to change and may be verified by a counselor or by consulting the current university catalog. Many Baccalaureate in Arts degrees require third semester competency in a foriegn language. Consult the current catalog of the transfer institution and consult with a counselor.
Please Note: This information is for informal use only! This is a converted electronic copy of the official printed 2011/2012 college catalog. Every effort has been made to ensure this information is up to date and accurate, but the college catalog is the authoritative source.