What’s Included in a Dental Assistant Course?
| Update: November 25, 2025
Curious about what's included in a dental assistant course? A dental assistant program prepares you to perform the preventative, clinical, and administrative responsibilities commonly required in a dental office. At UEI College, our dental assistant training provides a comprehensive education that includes classroom theory, hands-on lab work, and real-world experience. Read on to learn more about our program.
Core Courses You’ll Take
- Dental Science & Medical Emergencies: Begin by developing essential knowledge of dental anatomy, oral structures, and infection control standards. This course also trains you to recognize and respond to common medical emergencies that may arise in a dental office setting.
- Radiography: Learn the correct methods for capturing safe, high-quality dental X-rays and reviewing the images for clarity. You’ll practice using modern digital radiography equipment and follow important radiation safety guidelines used in today’s dental practices.
- Dental Materials: Study the various materials used in dental treatments, including impression materials, restoratives, cements, and bonding agents. You’ll gain hands-on experience mixing, preparing, and assisting with their application—similar to what you’ll do chairside.
- Preventive Dentistry: Develop skills in coronal polishing, fluoride treatments, sealant application, and teaching patients about proper oral hygiene. These techniques play a key role in promoting long-term dental health and preventing future problems.
- Prosthodontics & Administrative Dentistry: Learn to support dental professionals during procedures involving crowns, bridges, dentures, and other prosthetic work. You’ll also build front-office skills such as updating patient charts, managing records, scheduling appointments, and navigating basic dental software.
- Externship (170 Hours): Put your training into practice in a real dental office or clinic. During your externship, you’ll assist with patient care, observe dental procedures, support clinical staff, and gain experience with both clinical and administrative tasks in an authentic workplace environment.
The UEI Learning Environment
Is dental assisting hard to learn? Being a qualified dental assistant is all about having the right skills and the confidence to use them. UEI’s learning labs are set up to feel just like a real dental office, allowing you to practice in a supportive setting. You’ll use the same chairs, mannequins, instruments, and X-ray units found in modern clinics for a realistic training experience.
Our hands-on labs allow you to build skills step-by-step, from taking impressions to polishing teeth, while instructors guide you through proper technique. Your 170-hour externship then takes your learning into the real world, ensuring you graduate with actual experience, not just theory.
UEI’s Dental Assistant Program mixes classroom theory, hands-on lab training, and real-world experience so that you're prepared for both clinical tasks and administrative duties right out of school.
Find a UEI campus near you and contact us for more information.
