Dental Assistant FAQs | St. Cloud Technical & Community College

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Can I apply directly to the Dental Assistant program?

Students MUST be a Current Student (applied and accepted to SCTCC).

Can I apply to the program without all of the prerequisites complete?

Students can apply with prerequisites in progress, MUST be complete prior to the start of the program. Priority will be given to students with all prerequisites complete at the time of application.

Can I retake a prerequisite course to improve my GPA?

Each prerequisite and General Education course may be taken 3 times.

Consult with an advisor about the impact of repeated courses.

When does the Dental Assistant program start?

The Dental Assistant program is a 4-semester program that begins each Fall Semester.

How many students are accepted?

30 students are accepted each fall semester.

Can I attend part time?

The Dental Assistant program is a full-time program only.

When can I apply to the program?

The Dental Assistant application window is open December 1st through January 15th and can be found at http://www.sctcc.edu/dental-assistant-apply-online

Once accepted to the program, what is the schedule like?

SUBJECT TO CHANGE

First year classes (semester 1 – fall semester)

Monday: lecture from 10am-3pm, lab from 4-6 p.m. Wednesday: 1-4p.m. Friday: 10am-11am (No classes held on Tuesday and Thursday the first semester).

First year classes (semester 2 – spring semester)

Monday: lecture from 11am-3pm and Tuesday: lecture from 1pm-3pm Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday lab from 8am-Noon,
Friday lab either 8am-10am, 10am-Noon or Noon-2pm Second year classes (semester 3 – fall semester)
Monday: lecture 10am-Noon, Tuesday: lecture 1pm-2pm, Wednesday: lecture 1pm-2pm Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday lab from 8am-Noon (No class on Friday)

Second year classes (semester 4 – spring semester)

First Month some class time, remaining of the semester students will be completing internship.

Is the Dental Assistant program accredited?

St. Cloud Technical and Community College dental assistant program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association. Graduates will be eligible to write the Dental Assisting National Board Certification examination as well as the Minnesota licensure examination. Statistically over the past several years, SCTCC dental assistant students have scored above the national and state average on both of these exams. Students earn the credentials CDA (Certified Dental Assistant) and LDA (Licensed dental Assistant) after successful completion of these exams.