Courses

PROGRAM SCHEDULE

The program is 16 weeks in length and is held one 8 hour day per week (Saturdays) from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Lunch is from 12:00pm to 1:00pm

PROGRAM TERMS

Spring term: January to April
Fall term: July to October
*Specific dates TBD

OBSERVED HOLIDAYS

New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day
Easter weekend
Memorial Day
July 4th
Labor Day
Thanksgiving weekend
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

SUBJECT DESCRIPTIONS

History of Dentistry; The professional dental assistant; The Dental healthcare Team; Disease Transmission and Infection; Principles of disinfection, instruments processing and sterilization; Moisture Control: Students will learn the history of dentistry and dental assisting and dental team. Students will gain a broad understanding of potentially infectious diseases and different modes of transmission. Students will learn appropriate techniques to protect self, patient and others in the dental office. Students will be introduced to the fundamentals of oral health and disease prevention. Students will learn oral health preventative measures and techniques as it pertains to dental assisting. Students will be introduced to oral evacuation system, rinsing the oral cavity.
Lecture: 4 Hours; Lab: 4 Hours; Total: 8 Hours

Embryology and Head and Neck anatomy; Overview of Dentition; Tooth Morphology Occupational Health Safety; Oral Health and Prevention of Dental Disease; Chemical and Waste Management: Students will be exposed to the regions of the head and neck and skull and its relation to the tempo mandibular joint. Students will be introduced to dentition periods, Types, functions and anatomic features of teeth and tooth numbering systems. Students will learn to differentiate between primary and permanent dentition in addition to the ability to identify teeth by number and clinical name. Students will gain knowledge of regulatory and advisory agencies and a thorough review of chemical and waste management.
Lecture: 4 Hours; Lab: 4 Hours; Total: 8 Hours

Foundations of radiology, radiographic equipment, and radiation safety; Legal issues, quality assurance and infection prevention; Intraoral and Extraoral Imaging: Students will Students will be introduced to discovery of radiation and radiation physics. Will gain an understanding of the dental x-ray machine and x-ray production. Students will learn how to protect patient, position and take quality
intraoral and extraoral radiographs.
Lecture: 4 Hours; Lab: 4 Hours; Total: 8 Hours

Oral Diagnosis and Treatment Planning; Isolation of teeth; General Dentistry; Matrix systems for Restorative Dentistry: Students will be introduced to Examination and Diagnostic techniques, recording dental examinations, charting clinical examinations and legal and ethical implications. Patient will learn dental dam preparation, placement and removal, posterior and anterior matrix systems.
Lecture: 4 Hours; Lab: 4 Hours; Total: 8 Hours

Dental Liners, Bases and lining systems; Dental Cements; Impression Materials; Laboratory Materials and Procedures: Students will learn different types of liners bases and cements and they chemical makeup, use and risks associated. Students will learn safety in the dental lab. In this session, students will learn how to properly mix cements and impressions materials, take impressions, pour up stone and trim dental models.
Lecture: 4 Hours; Lab: 4 Hours; Total: 8 Hours

Review and Midterm
Lecture: 0 Hours; Lab: 8 Hours; Total: 8 Hours

Delivering Dental Care; Dental Hand Instruments; Dental Handpieces and Accessories; Provisional Coverage: Students will learn to tools to get to know your patients, reviewing the patient record, preparing treatment areas, greeting and seating patients. In this session students will learn to identify dental hand instruments and all rotary instruments. Students will also learn what the different types of provisional coverage are in addition to the fabrication and delivery of Provisionals
Lecture: 4 Hours; Lab: 4 Hours; Total: 8 Hours

Skills Review
Lecture: 0 Hours; Lab: 8 Hours; Total: 8 Hours

Patient Record; Vital Signs; The special needs and medically compromised patient; Principles of Pharmacology: Students will learn patient compliance and forms. In this session students will understand factors that affect vital signs and temperature, specific disorders of medically compromised patients. Students will have an overview of drugs commonly prescribed in dentistry and adverse drug affects. Students will learn how to take manual and digital blood pressure.
Lecture: 4 Hours; Lab: 4 Hours; Total: 8 Hours

Restorative and Esthetic Dentistry; Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery: Standardization of dental materials and properties of dental materials. Indications for oral maxillofacial surgery, specialized instruments and accessories and surgical asepsis.
Lecture: 4 Hours; Lab: 4 Hours; Total: 8 Hours

Assisting in a Medical Emergency; Anesthesia and Pain Control: Students will be introduced to preventing and recognizing medical emergencies and emergency preparedness. Students will be familiarized with common dental emergencies. Students will get an overview of topical and local anesthesia and learn local anesthesia setup. Students will take a course on basic life support and AED
procedures.
Lecture: 4 Hours; Lab: 4 Hours; Total: 8 Hours

Communication in the Dental Office; Business Operations; Marketing your skills: Students will learn the basics of human behavior and cultural diversity. They will also learn how to communicate with colleagues and patients. They will have exposure to computer applications in dental office and guidelines to record keeping and efficient filing.
Lecture: 4 Hours; Lab: 4 Hours; Total: 8 Hours

Dental Ethics; Dentistry and Law: Students will learn basic principles, professional code and application of ethics. Students will
learn state dental practice act and, malpractice and risk management.
Lecture: 4 Hours; Lab: 4 Hours; Total: 8 Hours

Final Examination Written and Hands On
Lecture: 4 Hours; Lab: 4 Hours; Total: 8 Hours

Externship
120 Hours
Lecture: 48 Hours; Lab: 64 Hours; Externship: 120 Hours

EXTERNSHIP

Each student, as a requirement of graduation, will participate in 120 hours of externship. The externship may begin no sooner than after passing the mid-term exam. All externship hours ideally are completed by the last day of class, but must be completed at the latest date of 30 days after the last day of class. The student will be provided with the contact information of dental office(s) that is participating in the externship. Students opting to do their externship with dental offices not provided by the school may do so only with evaluation and approval by program instructor. The student will schedule their extern hours at a time that is mutually convenient for the dental office and themselves, but typically it will be 8 hours per day, 5 days per week for 3 weeks. The externship will allow the student to test the skills and abilities that should have been acquired during approximately the first half of their instructional segment of the ASDA curriculum. Students are also required to present externship experiences each week to the class during externship period. Upon completion of the externship, the student will submit a time sheet, signed by the dental office, to ASDA to verify the required hours have been completed. The dental practice will also complete an externship evaluation form to monitor students’ progress. This evaluation will document the level of performance experienced by the dentist of the student during the externship. The externship will be evaluated and graded on a pass/fail basis. A passing grade on the externship is a requirement of graduation.

PROGRAM COSTS

Registration Fee – $100.00
Tuition – $2000.00
Books – $200.00
Supplies – $500.00

  • Gloves & Masks – $50
  • Alginate & Plaster – $80
  • Impression materials – $145
  • High and low evacuators – $75
  • Restorative materials – $150

Tools – $250.00

  • Burs $100
  • Instruments $150

Total Cost:  $3050.00

SPECIAL PROGRAM NOTES

  • The Texas State Board of Dental Examiners requires all dental assistants to meet certain testing requirements, including jurisprudence, infection control, radiology, nitrous oxide monitoring, and CPR, to become a Registered Dental Assistant in the state of Texas. By law, a dental assistant must be registered with the TSBDE in order to take x-rays at a dentist’s office. Information on the other tests and fees will be available during school or can be found on the TSBDE website: http://www.tsbde.state.tx.us
  • Students must provide their own health insurance and other accident insurance. Avant School of Dental Assisting will make every reasonable effort to prevent injury or illness, but is not liable for the same in the event either should occur during the course of instruction or thereafter beyond the allowance of Texas state law.
  • Students will need to secure Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Certification and vaccinations on their own time and expense. CPR training and immunizations are not required for the course and will NOT be included in the course, but they will be needed prior to employment.
  • Students should contact the local health department to obtain pertinent vaccinations including but not limited to Hepatitis B and Tetanus vaccinations.

Tuition does not include: CPR certification, Hepatitis B & Tetanus vaccination series, fees to take TSBDE certification examination for Radiology, Infection Control, Jurisprudence or Nitrous Oxide monitoring.

*Special Note: Students are responsible for purchasing their own clinical attire (scrubs and shoes) and to wear them on the first day of class. Approximate cost for scrubs is $35. Athletic shoes or any comfortable close-toed shoes are acceptable.

METHODS OF PAYMENT

Options are Cash, Check or major Credit Card or one of our financing options. No interest will be charged