• Extensive hands-on training: Practice your skills with 345 hours of clinical experience.
  • Exam readiness: Prepare for your dental assistant certificate exams, including Radiation Health & Safety and Infection Control, ensuring career mobility.
  • Advanced pathways: Seamlessly transition to our Expanded Function Dental Assistant (EFDA) certificate program for further skills development.
  • Tuition assistance: Financial aid is available to eligible students.

“Mrs. Hershey was able to teach me so much more than I could have ever imagined. She was patient, and very kind to me and our entire class for the duration of the class. She was efficient in her lesson plans and explained everything in a commonsense fashion that made comprehension of the information easy”

— Michelle Lutz, EFDA

POSSIBLE CERTIFICATIONS

  • Postsecondary diploma
  • OSHA 10-hour certification
  • Radiation Health and Safety (RHS) certification the Dental Assisting National Board
  • Certified Dental Assistant through the Dental Assisting National Board (cost for this certification is not included in the program tuition & fees)

PROGRAM SCHEDULE

Hours:
725

Schedule:

August 18, 2025 through February 11, 2026
Schedule:

  • Classes are held Monday – Thursday, 11:00am to 7:00pm.
  • Clinical rotation hours may vary, but are typically 9 am to 5 pm, Monday through Thursday, beginning in mid-November 2025.

We anticipate the spring 2026 session will be offered January 2026 – June 2026.

Call the Continuing Education Office at (814) 941-8324 for more information.

TUITION & FEES

Tuition & Fees for 2025-2026:

$12,055.00

Fees include an optional laptop. If laptop is not needed through the GACTC, the cost of the laptop is deducted from the fees. Please see the program flyer to view detailed tuition and fees.

For the 2024-2025 academic year, this program is approved through the Eligible Training Providers List. Students enrolled in this program may be eligible for financial assistance through their local CareerLink office. Please contact your local CareerLink office for assistance.

TAKE THE
NEXT STEP

Please contact us to schedule a tour and to meet with a career counselor to discuss your career goals and this program. Complete this short form to request more information and to schedule a tour, or call us at 814.941.TECH.

We welcome your application to the Dental Assistant diploma program.

GET THE SKILLS YOU NEED TO SHINE

Within the curriculum, students gain fundamental knowledge, and hands-on experience with:

  • Roles and Responsibilities of Dental Assistants
  • Dental Ethics
  • Dental Laws
  • Landmarks of the Face and Oral Cavity
  • Overview of the Dentitions
  • Tooth Morphology
  • Disease Transmission and Infection Prevention
  • Principles and Techniques of Disinfection
  • Principles and Techniques of Instrument Processing and Sterilization
  • Chemical Waste Management
  • Patient information and Assessment
  • Oral Diagnosis and Treatment Planning
  • Delivering Dental Care
  • Dental Handpieces and Accessories
  • Moisture Control
  • Restorative and Esthetic Dental Materials
  • Dental Cements
  • Impression Materials and Techniques
  • Scanning with the Cerec scanner
  • Laboratory Materials and Procedures
  • General Dentistry
  • Matrix Systems for Restorative Dentistry
  • Provisional Coverage
  • Endodontics
  • Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
  • Pediatric Dentistry
  • Orthodontics
  • Communication in the Dental Office
  • Foundations of Radiography, Radiographic Equipment, and Radiation Safety
  • Legal Issues, Quality Assurance, and Infection Prevention
  • Intraoral Imaging
  • Extraoral Imaging

The diploma program courses include:

  • Dental Assisting I & II
  • Dental Radiology I & II
  • Dental Assisting Clinical I & II

Students gain knowledge and experience through lecture presentations, demonstrations and hands-on technical laboratory sessions in which students perform procedures on dental simulators. Additionally, students complete 345 hours with dental offices to develop their skills through clinical courses.

Our dental assistant school curriculum prepares you to take the Radiation Health and Safety exam as well as the Infection Control exam. After successful completion of the program, students are qualified to pursue their Certified Dental Assistant certificate and a career as a dental assistant.

Students may also continue study with our Expanded Function Dental Assistant (EFDA) Certificate program, which builds on the role of the dental assistant. Learn more about the EFDA certificate program at https://www.gactc.edu/adult-education/part-time-programs-testing-and-certifications/expanded-function-dental-assistant/. Graduates of the dental assistant diploma program may gain early entry into the EFDA certificate program.