Dental Assisting

  • Dental Assisting

    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. 

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!

100%

Percentage of UAA dental assisting alumni who successfully find jobs as dental assistants after graduation.

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Cost effective program that can be completed in as little as one year with full time and part time availability.

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Learn from expert faculty who have published research and presented nationally on oral health care topics.

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The only publicly available accredited Dental Assisting program in the state of Alaska.

 

 

 

 

Photo of Stephanie Olson

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.  

 

-Stephanie Olson, CDA, MS

 

Contact Us

(907) 786-4346
uaa_dentalprograms@alaska.edu

Physical Address
UAA School of Allied Health
Allied Health Sciences Building
3500 Seawolf Drive, AHS 148
Anchorage, Alaska 99508

Mailing Address
UAA Dental Assisting Program
3211 Providence Drive, AHS 148
Anchorage, Alaska 99508

 

 

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