WITC adds dental assistant program

Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College has recently added a dental assistant program to its list of offerings. This program will debut for the fall 2011 semester at WITC’s Rice Lake campus.

“The one-year program was chosen in order to graduate highly skilled dental assistants who are able to hit the ground running when they are employed,” said Kate Siegler, WITC academic dean of allied health.

WITC has made a commitment to providing students with the most technologically advanced equipment, such as digital X-rays and a ceiling camera mounted in the front of the classroom so that the work that the teacher does in the mouth is seen on large screens easily viewed by all students.

A variety of career paths await graduates including working in general or specialized dental offices, dental laboratories or employment with federal, state or city agencies. Dental assistants with documented skills also may carry out a variety of laboratory, clinical and office duties. Some dental assistants manage the office and are responsible for patient scheduling and bookkeeping functions. Most dental assistants work in general or specialized dental offices, either for individual dentists or for groups of dentists. Some dental assistants may choose to work for insurance companies, dental laboratories, or dental supply companies. The dental assistant also may find employment with federal agencies such as the Veterans’ Administration, United States Public Health Services, the Armed Forces, or a state, county or city health facility.

The one-year, 33-credit program will be eligible for accreditation by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) of the American Dental Association. Graduates of CODA accredited programs are eligible to take the national certification exam offered by the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) upon graduation. WITC will apply for accreditation in October of 2012 and hopes to receive accreditation in summer of 2013. Graduates of the first class that enters in fall 2011 will be eligible to take the national certification exam after two-years of full-time employment or four years of part-time employment. Students who enter fall 2012 and all subsequent semesters will be eligible to take the exam upon graduation after the program is accredited.

For more information, contact a WITC admissions advisor or visit witc.edu/programs/index.htm online.

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