Dental Assisting

Why Choose Dental Assisting at PPCC?

PPCC prepares students for employment as chair-side dental assistants in a variety of clinical settings. Our graduates are eligible to take the Dental Assisting National Board CDA Exam.

PPCC is the only dental assisting school in southern Colorado accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation.

What do PPCC Dental Assisting students study?

As a PPCC Dental Assisting student, you will learn to provide quality patient care in an ethical and professional manner. Upon program completion you will:

Develop basic dental assisting skills to assist a variety of procedures.
Identify uses of and manipulate a variety of dental materials to clinical standards.
Produce a variety of intra-oral and extra-oral radiographs of diagnostic quality that meet and exceed the Colorado State minimum standards for radiographic training and education for dental assistants .
Perform infection control procedures consistent with OSHA and CDC standards.
Maintain accurate dental records.
Anticipate and identify medical emergencies that can arise before, during and after treatment.
Perform a variety of business office duties.
Provide Expanded Functions restorative services to clinical competency.
Evaluate case studies and solve problems using critical thinking skills.
Communicate with dental team members and patients.

Career and Technical Education (CTE) – Notice of Non-Discrimination

Classes You Might Take

DEA 121 Dental Science I

Includes fundamentals of the oral structures as they apply to oral histology, embryology, morphology, pathology, dental anatomy, and dental charting.

Includes basic information concerning infection and disease transmission in the dental office. Emphasizes knowledge of microorganisms, with an emphasis on aseptic techniques, sterilization, and hazardous communication management.

DEA 182 Clinical Internship II & Seminar

Focuses on clinical practice in private or public dental offices or clinics with clinical work experience in both general dentistry and specialty fields on a rotating basis.

STUDENTS MUST MEET WITH A DENTAL ASSISTING FACULTY MEMBER TO MAP OUT A GRADUATION PLAN BEFORE BEING ADMITTED INTO DENTAL ASSISTING COURSES!

The program in Dental Assisting is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation and has been granted the accreditation status of Approval Without Reporting Requirements. The Commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education. The Commission on Dental Accreditation can be contacted at (312) 440-4653 or at 211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611-2678. Visit the Commission’s web site.

Dental Assisting Club

PPCC has its own Dental Assisting Club. The club has guest speakers who are dentists from the local community. The club also goes on field trips, does community service and participates in fund raising events. Students can also work with Colorado Mission of Mercy, a large scale free dental clinic that serves underserved communities.

Expanded Functions Dental Clinic

Every year from mid February to the beginning of May, students enrolled in the second year of the Associate's degree run a dental clinic under the supervision of local licensed dentists. They provide the following services to the community:

Dental X-rays
Exams
Fluoride treatments
Sealants
Fillings- both tooth colored and silver

For appointments or more information call the clinic number: 719-502-4049

Get started in Dental Assisting

Apply to PPCC Request Information

Dental Assisting Faculty Contact

Amy Reed

Amy.Reed@ppcc.edu

(719) 502-3342

Contact Dental Assisting

Advising Team

Appointments can be made through Navigate

Advising Resources

Community Giving

PPCC Dental Assisting students help to provide nearly 1 million dollars of free dental care every year and get real world experience while doing so through participation in the Colorado Mission of Mercy.