Dental Assisting

Dental Assisting is a diverse and challenging career.  The Dental Assisting Program is designed to provide students with the education, technical knowledge, and clinical experiences to perform treatment support procedures, patient care procedures, assist with general and specialty dental procedures, manage dental practices and coordinate laboratory services.

The program offers students experiences in communications, understanding and application of anatomy, radiography, safe working practices, and employment skills as well as varied opportunities to develop as a professional with critical thinking and decision making abilities.

Students interact with patients and members of the dental team in the NAIT Dental Clinic and in their two professional experiences courses.  The Professional Experience I  consists of a half day weekly clinical opportunity at the University of Alberta Dental Clinic and the Professional Experience II course consists of a four week period in a general dental practice at the end of Semester 2.  The experiences are arranged by the Dental Assisting faculty.

Successful dental assistants possess effective communication skills and the ability to interact positively with patients and other health care professionals.

Prospective students must be highly motivated and mature to deal with the complexity of being a multi-skilled professional.  Dental Assistants are required to show initiative, have the ability to put their patients at ease and explain procedures, remain calm under pressure or in an emergency situation, have excellent organizational and time management skills, possess good eye-hand coordination, and the ability to cooperate and work positively as part of a team.