Dental Assisting

The Dental Assisting curriculum prepares individuals to assist the dentist in the delivery of dental treatment and to function as integral members of the dental team while performing chairside and related office and laboratory procedures.

Course work includes instruction in general studies, biomedical sciences, dental sciences, clinical sciences, and clinical practice. A combination of lecture, laboratory, and clinical experiences provide students with knowledge in infection/hazard control, radiography, dental materials, preventive dentistry, and clinical procedures.

Graduates may be eligible to take the Dental Assisting National Board Examination to become Certified Dental Assistants. As a Dental Assistant II, defined by the Dental Laws of North Carolina, graduates work in dental offices and other related areas.

The WCC Dental Assisting program has been granted the Accreditation Status of Approval Without Reporting Requirements by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA).

Learning Outcomes

  • Apply key concepts of dentistry.
  • Utilize standards of infection and hazard control.
  • Produce radiographs of diagnostic quality.
  • Perform clinical supportive treatments and dental laboratory procedures.
  • Model professional behaviors, ethics, and appearance.

Contact Information

Image of Jennifer Hastings
Jennifer Hastings, MA,CDA
Lead Instructor of Dental Assisting
Phone: 336-838-6253
jrhastings018@wilkescc.edu

Admissions Information

The Dental Assisting program is a limited enrollment program that admits approximately 18 students once a year in the fall semester.

To maintain enrollment in the Dental Assisting program, a student must earn a “C” or better in all courses required for the program. The first “D” or “F” earned will result in a student being withdrawn from the program.

Step 1: Complete WCC Application

Submit a WCC application for admission to the Dental Assisting program. Applicants may only apply for two limited-admission programs in each academic year. WCC limited-admission programs include: Associate Degree Nursing, Dental Assisting, Dental Hygiene, Emergency Medical Science, Radiography, Respiratory Therapy, and Regionally Increasing Baccalaureate Nurses (RIBN).

The college application deadline is April 3, 2025.

WCC Application

Step 2: Prove College Readiness

Applicant must be eligible to enroll in ENG 111 and MAT 110 without a co-requisite. Visit the Placement Testing page for more details regarding exemption options, testing policy, scheduling a testing appointment, and study materials. Applicants requiring special testing accommodations due to a disability must contact the Disability Services office at least 10 working days prior to testing.

Step 3: Dental Assisting Information Session

Complete the mandatory Dental Assisting online information session to review the application process. You must complete an admission application for the 2025 Dental Assisting application cycle before completing the online information session.

The deadline to complete the Fall 2025 online dental assisting information session is April 10, 2025, at 11:59 p.m.

Dental Assisting Information Session

Step 4: Completion of High School Diploma or Recognized Equivalent

High school diploma or recognized equivalent must be completed before entry into the program. If applying as a high school senior, submission of a transcript reflecting all high school coursework completed at the time of application is required. If admitted, a final transcript must be submitted prior to beginning the program that reflects additional coursework completed and the actual graduation date.

Step 5: Submission of Official Transcripts

Dental Assisting applicants must submit official high school, GED, or Adult High School and official college transcripts at each educational institution attended.

Step 6: Required Courses

Applicants must successfully complete the following required courses with a grade of “D” or better. The following classes must be completed before the applicant can schedule their MAR review.

  1. One year/credit of a high school biology or college biology
  2. An overall grade of “D” or better on all high school English courses completed or ENG 111

Credit by exam will not be accepted for the required courses.

Please note: Spring 2025 grades will not be included in ranking and selection. Required courses must be completed Fall 2024 to be qualified for ranking and selection.

Step 7: Successful Completion of a MAR Review

When an applicant has met the minimum admission requirements, steps 1 through 6, they must contact the Health Sciences Admissions Advisor to schedule a MAR review appointment.

Image of Andrea Smith
Andrea Smith, MA
Health Sciences Admissions Advisor
Phone: 336-838-6459
adsmith365@wilkescc.edu

This process is being used to verify that all the above criteria has been met and satisfied. MAR reviews must be completed by April 24, 2025.

CPR / Medical Form / Observation Hours

Applicants who are selected for admission to the Dental Assisting program must submit documentation of the following steps to Jennifer Hastings, Program Director/Lead Instructor of the Dental Assisting program, on the first day of class:

  1. CPR: Evidence of current CPR certification (must be Basic Life Support [BLS] – American Heart Association Healthcare Provider).
  2. Medical Form: Submission of the Wilkes Community College Student Medical Form which must be completed by a physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner. The form is given to you at the acceptance meeting.
  3. Observation Hours: Completion of 8 Dental Assisting observation hours. Applicants must complete 4 hours of job shadowing with an assistant in a general practice and 4 hours job shadowing with an assistant in a specialty practice. Observation hours are valid for two years.

Credit/Clock Hour Conversion Programs

WCC offers some programs that are considered credit/clock hour conversion programs based on federal regulations set by the U.S. Department of Education. These programs fall under this regulation because all the required credit hours are not acceptable or transferable into a two-year degree or college transfer program. If you are enrolled in one of the credit/clock hour programs and you have been awarded the Federal Pell Grant, your award payment may be less than what is indicated on your award letter. The Dental Assisting program is a credit/clock hour conversion program.

Orientation

Applicants who have been accepted into the Dental Assisting program will also be required to attend a mandatory Dental Assisting program orientation. The date of the orientation will be provided to applicants who are admitted to the program.

Notice of Clinical Requirements

WCC’s contractual agreements with each clinical site mandates that clinical agencies are responsible for declaring any requirements of students rotating through their facilities. These requirements include immunizations, a criminal background check, and drug screening. Therefore, students who do not comply with the agreements of each clinical affiliate will be placed only at those facilities in which the student has been cleared and all clinical requirements have been met. Selective placement due to non-compliance with all clinical requirements may limit the student’s overall clinical education experience but will allow for successful completion of program, clinical, and graduation requirements.

Individuals completing the Dental Assisting program are eligible to apply to take a national board examination, which they must pass in order to receive a certification. The licensing board does require information regarding conviction of a felony and/or misdemeanor and/or current charges on the application for certification and MAY DECIDE NOT TO CERTIFY an individual based on the result of an investigation of those particular charges.

Undocumented Immigrants

When considering whether to admit an undocumented immigrant into a specific program of study, community colleges shall take into account that federal law prohibits states from granting professional licenses to undocumented immigrants. Students lawfully present in the United States shall have priority over any undocumented immigrant in any class or program of study when capacity limitations exist. PLEASE NOTE: these procedures comply with numbered memo CC10-26, which was published by the North Carolina Community College System on July 12, 2010.

Please contact the admission representative for the Dental Assisting program:

Image of Andrea Smith
Andrea Smith, MA
Health Sciences Admissions Advisor
Phone: 336-838-6459
adsmith365@wilkescc.edu

Related Course in Curriculum Course Approved for Substitution for the Dental Assisting Program
ACA 115 ACA 111 or ACA 122* (must complete the course with a grade of “C” or higher)
COM 120 COM 231* (must complete the course with a grade of “C” or higher)
BIO 163 BIO 165* + BIO 166* or BIO 168* + BIO 169* (must complete both courses with a grade of “C” or higher)

* Courses approved for transfer in the NC Comprehensive Articulation Agreement

Your faculty advisor must request that the substitution be made, and it must be approved by the Health Sciences Dean, Tammy Beck. You should always consult with your advisor before taking a course other than the course required in the Dental Assisting program plan. You may be required to provide a course syllabus for courses other than the one required by your program.

Please note: If BIO 163, 165, 166, 168, or 169 (or an equivalent course) has been completed prior to entry into the Dental Assisting program, it must have been completed within five years from the first day of the fall semester of entering the program. Otherwise, the credits will be considered to have expired and will not count towards fulfilling Dental Assisting diploma requirements and will not count in the Dental Assisting admission point system.

Contact Information

For any questions, please about the admission process or requirements, please contact:

Image of Andrea Smith
Andrea Smith, MA
Health Sciences Admissions Advisor
Phone: 336-838-6459
adsmith365@wilkescc.edu
Image of Jennifer Hastings
Jennifer Hastings, MA,CDA
Lead Instructor of Dental Assisting
Phone: 336-838-6253
jrhastings018@wilkescc.edu

Pathways

This part of the website is currently undergoing maintenance. Please refer to the WCC Catalog for program information.

Technical Standards

The Dental Assisting program technical standards have been developed to inform students of the nonacademic essential functions of the program and profession. Examples are not all inclusive.

Standard Essential Function Examples
Communication
Oral / Written
  • Skills sufficient to communicate information and ideas so others will understand
  • Skills sufficient to interact with individuals, families, and groups from a variety of social, emotional, cultural, and intellectual backgrounds
  • Document relevant patient information (manual or via computer) using correct terminology and spelling
  • Interpret doctor’s orders
  • Record patient responses to treatments
  • Establish rapport with patients, families, and other health care providers
Mobility / Motor Skills
  • Motor skills sufficient to move the hands and use hands to grasp or manipulate objects
  • Mobility sufficient to perform physical activities that require considerable use of arms and legs and moving the whole body
  • Utilize instruments with patients
  • Maneuver in confined spaces
  • Physical activities may include:
    • Bending
    • Stooping
    • Lifting
    • Reaching
Physical Strength and Stamina
  • Ability to stand for extended periods of time
  • Ability sufficient to lift and carry up to 30 pounds
  • Stand and walk up to 8-hour shifts
  • Lift and move equipment
Sensory

  • Sight
  • Sound
  • Taste
  • Touch
  • Smell
  • Visual skills sufficient to see details at close range and manipulate equipment
  • Listening skills sufficient to communicate with others
  • Ability to tolerate various odors
  • Observe patient responses to treatment
  • Identify various instruments
  • Hear equipment/emergency alarms
  • Work with patients with poor hygiene
Environmental / Occupational Exposure
  • Exposure to communicable and infectious diseases, secretions, blood, and bodily fluids
  • Exposure to environmental hazards
  • Exposure to X-ray radiation
  • Ability to work under high stress situations and respond promptly
  • Possible exposure to HIV, hepatitis, etc.
  • Exposure to X-ray radiation, medicinal preparations, latex, and toxic substances
  • Respond appropriately in emergency to maintain patient safety and care
Field or Industry Professional Standards
  • Criminal background check
  • CPR certification

Disability Services Statement

Wilkes Community College is an ADA compliant institution. WCC does not discriminate based on a disability in the admissions process or in access to its programs, services, and/or activities for qualified individuals who meet eligibility requirements. WCC will provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with documented disabilities who are eligible to receive or participate in college programs, services, and/or activities. If a student believes that he/she cannot meet one or more of a program’s essential functions without accommodations, the student is encouraged to disclose this to Disability Services as soon as possible.