Program Details
Program Details
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Career Studies Certificate
Danville Community College
Program Details
Career Studies Certificate in Basic Dental Assisting
Career Studies CertificateCareer Studies Certificate in Basic Dental Assisting
Danville Community College
The Career Studies Certificate in Basic Dental Assisting prepares students for employment in dentists' offices performing a variety of tasks related to patient care. Students must possess the physical strength and dexterity to perform necessary job duties. Graduates will be eligible to take the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) exams in infection control and radiation safety.
Program Overview & Guidance

Delivery Mode
In-Person
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Delivery Mode
Online
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Delivery Mode
Hybrid
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Program Guidance Element | What You Need to Know |
---|---|
Considerations for Selecting Degree | The Career Studies Certificate in Basic Dental Assisting prepares students for employment in dentists' offices performing a variety of tasks related to patient care. Students must possess the physical strength and dexterity to perform necessary job duties. Graduates will be eligible to take the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) exams in infection control and radiation safety. |
Considerations When Selecting Courses |
Students must earn grades of "C" or higher in all basic dental assisting courses to remain active in the program. Students must possess the physical strength and dexterity to perform necessary job duties.
|
Program Requirements Beyond Specific Courses | |
Doing More With Your Degree | Dental assisting courses do not transfer into any of DCC's other programs. However, students who plan on applying to DCC's dental hygiene program frequently elect to complete the dental assisting program first. While completion of the dental assisting program has no direct effect on a student's chances of being accepted into dental hygiene, students who have completed dental assisting typically have more knowledge and experience in the dental field. Thus, former dental assisting students may be seen as more knowledgeable and experienced candidates when applying. |
Program Successes & Highlights | Graduates are eligible to take the Dental Assisting National Board exams for Infection Control & Radiation Safety certification. However, students are not required to seek certification. |
Program Credit Requirements

Please look above to see if a Transfer Guide is available for this program. lf you are a current Virginia Community College student or are planning to start at a Virginia Community College before transferring to this institution and program, please follow the Transfer Guide to plan your courses at the community college.
The table below provides the requirements to complete this program if you are not following a Transfer Guide. If you have an account and have created a Portfolio, the table includes the "Applied Credits" column. This column shows how the credits you earned based on the experiences you entered may be applied to satisfy these requirements. You can find schools where you can take courses that will transfer and apply to this degree using the Where Can I Find An Equivalent Course feature in the Transfer Tools menu.
The table below provides the requirements to complete this program if you are not following a Transfer Guide. If you have an account and have created a Portfolio, the table includes the "Applied Credits" column. This column shows how the credits you earned based on the experiences you entered may be applied to satisfy these requirements. You can find schools where you can take courses that will transfer and apply to this degree using the Where Can I Find An Equivalent Course feature in the Transfer Tools menu.
The program map provided below is an estimate based on courses identified as a result of reviewing your portfolio
and the requirements for the selected program.
A formal determination of credits awarded for your prior learning and their applicability to the degree requirements can only be made by the institution. The formal determination and resulting map may reflect higher or lower number of credits to be completed to achieve this program.
A formal determination of credits awarded for your prior learning and their applicability to the degree requirements can only be made by the institution. The formal determination and resulting map may reflect higher or lower number of credits to be completed to achieve this program.
Requirements
Required Credits
Career Studies Certificate in Basic Dental Assisting
22
Career Studies Certificate in Basic Dental Assisting
22
Course Grad Req-221-120-02
22
First Semester
7
DNA 100
1
Earn 1 credits by completing courses from the following Course:
DNA 109
3
Earn 3 credits by completing courses from the following Course:
DNA 110
3
Earn 3 credits by completing courses from the following Course:
Second Semester
7
DNA 103
1
Earn 1 credits by completing courses from the following Course:
DNA 113
3
Earn 3 credits by completing courses from the following Course:
DNA 134
3
Earn 3 credits by completing courses from the following Course:
Third Semester
8
DNA 190
4
Earn 4 credits by completing courses from the following Course:
DNA 114
4
Earn 4 credits by completing courses from the following Course:
What If I Have An Associate Degree Or Credit For Prior Learning?

Transfer Guidance Element | What You Need to Know |
---|---|
Associate Transfer Degree Completion | A minimum of 25% of the credit required for graduation in the curriculum must be earned at DCC.The program administrator responsible for evaluating a student’s previous coursework shall determine the acceptability of each course the student wishes to transfer or apply toward the program requirements based upon his/her knowledge of any changes that have occurred since the course(s) was completed;
Give particular attention to courses in areas that have had significant technological changes in recent years (e.g., electronics, automotive, graphic imaging, information systems, administrative support technology, etc.); As deemed appropriate, seek the input of faculty or other administrators regarding the proper course of action. |
Completion of Associate Degree Concurrent with High School | Academically accelerated program for students planning to enter a four-year college. Qualified juniors complete the last two years of high school at DCC. Students earn an Advanced Studies high school diploma and a two-year Associate of Arts and Sciences Degree in Liberal Arts at the same time. |
Credit for Prior Learning | Credit may be granted for prior learning for non-collegiate education, training, and/or occupational experiences as recommended by college faculty, ACE, the National College Credit Recommendation Service, or another college-approved organization. Students may be awarded college credit if they can demonstrate previous educational study or training/work experience that entitles them to credit for specific courses applicable to their program of study. Documentation for special training or experience must be submitted with the request for credit and will be retained in the student’s file. The supporting documentation must include samples of work or projects completed. Students wishing to be awarded previous completion credit for a specific course should contact the appropriate division office in which the course is taught. DCC reserves the right to place a time limit on prior learning experiences for which advanced standing may be granted. The division dean, in consultation with the admissions coordinator, will determine if courses taken more than five years previously can be used in the student’s current program of study. |
Did You Know That... |
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College Level Information

College Fit Guidance | What You Need to Know |
---|---|
Is This College Right For Me? | Danville Community College offers small class sizes and affordable tuition. The college offers several student clubs including the African American Culture Club, the Cyber Knights, and more. |
Transfer Student Catalog Year | A catalog year is based on the time a student was formally admitted to a program of study. |
First Year Student Catalog Year | All students who are initially placed in a program (including Developmental Studies) are placed in a catalog year at the same time. |
Applying for Guaranteed Admissions | Danville Community College has Guaranteed Admissions Agreements with many public and private four-year institutions in the commonwealth. These transfer partnerships assist students in making a smooth transition from one institution to the next by maximizing community college credits. It’s never too early to begin planning for a smooth transfer to another institution. Your decisions and commitment to a specific program and university directly impact the success of transferring credits. The longer you wait to make a decision, the more you risk delaying degree completion. We recommend the following: 1) By the time you have earned 15 credits, declare your intent to transfer. 2) By the time you are mid-way through your academic program, declare your major and university. |
Where Can This Degree Transfer

This section displays degrees most closely related to this program
and to which you may be able to transfer. So, you can use this list to find the
next degree you can complete in your major. Please click the degree name to
visit that program page.
Institution | Title | Degree | Award Name | Award Level | Delivery Mode |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Northern Virginia Community College | Dental Hygiene, A.A.S. | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid |
Virginia Western Community College | Associate of Applied Science Degree in Dental Hygiene | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid |
Wytheville Community College | Associate of Applied Science Degree in Dental Hygiene | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid |
Careers Where This Degree Applies

O*Net Code | Name | Description | Parent |
---|---|---|---|
31-9091.00 | Dental Assistants | Perform limited clinical duties under the direction of a dentist. Clinical duties may include equipment preparation and sterilization, preparing patients for treatment, assisting the dentist during treatment, and providing patients with instructions for oral healthcare procedures. May perform administrative duties such as scheduling appointments, maintaining medical records, billing, and coding information for insurance purposes. | Healthcare Support Occupations |
25-1071.00 | Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | Teach courses in health specialties, in fields such as dentistry, laboratory technology, medicine, pharmacy, public health, therapy, and veterinary medicine. | Educational Instruction and Library Occupations |
Cost To Complete
