Dental Assistant - CERT
Dental Assistant - Certificate
The CODA accredited Dental Assisting program at Luna is a one year program beginning in the fall, with sequential classes through the spring semester and summer semesters. Students will be required to complete off-campus externship clinical practicum hours during the spring and summer semesters.
To attain national certification through the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB), an individual must submit an application to DANB through an accredited dental assisting program. Those individuals desiring to stay in the state can obtain certification in Radiation Health and Safety, along with other state required functions, such as coronal polish, pit and fissure sealants, and topical fluoride application, through the NM State Board of Dental Health Care, in Santa Fe, NM.
Individuals interested in the Dental Assistant Certificate program should be aware that the dental field does have some risk of occupational hazards. The nature of the occupation could involve contact with bloodborne pathogens and infectious diseases. Students admitted to the program will receive proper training in biohazard protection and in the proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) to reduce the risk.
Students must apply for regular admission and complete the Institutional Proficiency requirements in Math and English (ENG098 0r ENG106 and MATH095). Completion of this certificate can be applied toward the Associate of Applied Science Degree in Vocational/Technical Studies in this Catalog.
Request for Third Party Comments by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA)
Luna Community College’s Dental Assisting Program is soliciting third-party comments in preparation for its April 9-10, 2025 site visit by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA).
Our last site visit occurred on February 16-17, 2016. Our current accreditation status is: Approval (without reporting requirements), an accreditation classification granted to an educational program indicating that the program achieves or exceeds the basic requirements for accreditation.
Interested parties may submit an appropriate comment to the Commission on Dental Accreditation. An appropriate comment is one that directly addresses the program’s compliance with the Commission’s standards, policies and procedures. Signed or unsigned comments will be accepted, and names and/or signatures will be removed from comments prior to forwarding them to the program. Comments must pertain only to the standards for the particular program or policies and procedures used in the Commission’s accreditation process.
A copy of the appropriate accreditation standards and/or the Commission’s policy on third-party comments may be obtained by contacting the Commission by calling 1-312-440-4653 or by email. Please email comments to the appropriate CODA staff. Staff emails are found at: https://coda.ada.org/about-coda/coda-staff.
The deadline for submission is sixty (60) days prior to the site visit – February 9, 2025. Please click on POSTING FORM FOR THIRD PARTY COMMENTS for further instructions regarding the submission of a comment.
Commission on Dental Accreditation Posting Form for Third Party Comments
Degree Requirements
The follow degree requirements are for the 2023-2024 Catalog. For other catalogs, please see CatalogsMinimum of 36 Credit Hours
| Concentration Pre-requisites (3 credit hours) | ||
|---|---|---|
| AH113 | Medical Terminology | 3 |
| Concentration Pre-requisites (3 credit hours) this course is required for entry into the Dental Program. | ||
| Concentration Requirements (33 credit hours) | ||
|---|---|---|
| DENT103 | Dental Materials | 5 |
| DENT109 | Prevntv Dentistry/Oral Hlth Care | 1 |
| DENT118 | Dental Assisting | 3 |
| DENT118L | Dental Assisting Lab | 1 |
| DENT145 | Bio-Dental Science | 3 |
| DENT160 | Dental Radiology | 4 |
| DENT167 | Oral Medicine | 2 |
| DENT170 | Clinical Training/Practicum I | 7 |
| DENT220 | Dental Office Management | 2 |
| DENT226 | Dental Pharmacology | 1 |
| DENT233 | Laboratory Procedures | 2 |
| DENT270 | Clinical Training/Practicum II | 3 |
Aims of the Program
- The dental assisting program will provide a quality educational program focused on active learning to meet the needs of students and the educational community.
- The dental assisting program will secure continuing resources to support dynamic instructional strategies and to enhance student learning.
- The dental assisting program will support student and faculty personnel and professional development.
- The dental assisting program will serve the community by providing educational programs, dental assisting services, and optimal patient care to meet the needs of diverse groups in the community and surrounding regions.
Program Costs
Click here —> [Dental Assisting Tuition Costs & List of Classes]
Related studies to obtain an AAS in Vocational Technical Studies.
DANB Exam Pass Rates
Bloodborne Pathogen Risk Statement
All individuals interested in pursuing the Dental Assistant Certificate should be aware that the dental field does have some risk of occupational hazards. The nature of the occupation could involve contact with infectious diseases, including AIDS and Hepatitis. All students admitted to the program will receive proper instruction in standard precautions and use of personal protective equipment to reduce the risk of blood and body fluid exposures.
Dental Assisting Program Student Handbook 2022-2023
Occupational Opportunities
Dental Assisting Certificate Academic Map 2022-2023