Students complete labs and clinicals in an on-campus dental clinic and professional
dental offices while accumulating college credits to work towards their degree program!
Note: Admissions to the Dental Assisting program (major and pre-major) are closed,
as the program is in a teach-out status and will be discontinued after July 2025.
As such, no new students will be allowed to start the program. If you are interested
in the Dental Hygiene program or other healthcare programs, please see a College of Health advisor to discuss your options.
dental assisting
Dentists depend on their dental assistants to be knowledgeable, anticipate their needs
and assist in providing quality care for their patients. Dental assistants are essential! Our
graduates are sought after and experience a high rate of employment due to their commitment to
quality, professionalism, advanced knowledge in which they demonstrate by earning
their Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) recognition, upon completion of the program.
Our professors are highly experienced in teaching, with 35 years of teaching experience,
and our graduates can easily find jobs due to the high demand for dental assistants. The
job outlook for dental assistants in Alaska is growing much faster than most occupations.
Dental Assisting can be a secure lifetime career with opportunities for advancement.
Dental assistants are responsible for maintaining infection control, anticipating
the dentist needs, exposing radiographs, setting up treatment rooms, assisting in
procedures, taking impressions and fabricating temporary restorations, and providing
patient education. UAA graduates often find employment in specialty areas of dentistry,
such as orthodontics, pediatrics, oral surgery, and general dental offices!
Do you want to work in healthcare and be working within 1 year?
Do you like the challenge of a busy workday with lots of variety?
Do you like being a part of a team and feeling accomplishment of a job well done?
Are you detail oriented?
Do you like helping people?
Do you have excellent communication skills?
If you answered "yes" to the questions above, then you may be a good candidate to
join the dental assisting program!
WHY CHOOSE dental assisting AT UAA?
Percentage of UAA dental assisting alumni who successfully find jobs as dental assistants
after graduation.
Cost effective program that can be completed in as little as one year with full time
and part time availability.
Learn from expert faculty who have published research and presented nationally on
oral health care topics.
The only publicly available accredited Dental Assisting program in the state of Alaska.
As a neonatal nurse practitioner at Providence Alaska Children’s Hospital and adjunct faculty member for the UAA School of Nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice alumna and graduate student hooding ceremony speaker for the fall Class of 2025 Stacy Brunquist weaves education into everything she does — training new caregivers, guiding parents learning to care for their newborns, and sharing knowledge with professionals from Utqiaġvik to Sitka.
On Nov. 13, the College of Health hosted a legislative event highlighting the Alaska Comprehensive Forensic Training Academy (ACFTA) in the Health Sciences Building. Co-led by Nursing Professor Angelia Trujillo, D.N.P., and Social Work Professor Kathi Trawver, Ph.D., the event brought together health care professionals, community partners, and legislators to learn more about ACFTA’s mission.
Laura Aspelund is a second-year medical student in the Alaska WWAMI program. As a medical student mentor in the Alaska Native into Oncology (ANION) program, she helps guide Alaska Native high school and college students exploring careers in medicine.
School of Nursing alumna Kristen Alcorn turned clinical expertise into entrepreneurial success. In this spotlight, Kristen shares a few of the experiences that shaped her journey in nursing, the things she loves about her job, and how her education at UAA helped her achieve her goals.
The UAA Justice Center celebrated its 50th anniversary with a special legislative citation presented by Alaska state legislators. The citation recognized decades of impactful research, education, and public service in Alaska.
Message from the Director
Hello and thank you for your interest in the UAA Dental Assisting Program where your dream of working in the dental field could be less than a year away! Our Dental
Assisting Program has a one year Undergraduate certificate degree and a two year Associate
Degree. Both of these programs provide students with a gateway to a new, high demand
profession. The dental facility at UAA is outstanding and designed to exceed the needs
of students as they learn hands-on technical skills. UAA's program and facility is
one of the best in the country. The graduates of this program learn all of the skills
needed to be a valued, entry level dental assistant. UAA Dental Assisting graduates
are highly marketable and often have multiple employment offers upon completion of
the program.
