Dental Assistant Certificate, AAS, AAS-T
Program Details PageDental Assistant Certificate, AAS, and AAS-T
Welcome to the Program Page dedicated to the Dental Assistant Certificate, AAS, AAS-T program! This page is designed to give an overview of what the quarter will look like based on the starting point in the year. Click on one of the desired tabs below to view the course schedule.
Please contact your adviser for more information regarding the classes. To see which materials are needed for your courses, click this bookstore link (Links to an external site.) and enter the information for each class.
Effective Winter Quarter 2025, RTC will no longer participate in the voluntary CODA accreditation process.
The current cohort Fall 2024 cohort has currently moved to a “teach-out” phase which will be complete in December 2025. The program will remain in full compliance with all CODA accreditation standards until that time. Successful students will be eligible to take the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) examination(s).
The next enrollment period is for the Fall 2025 start. Please contact advising@rtc.edu.
The future entry points for the dental assistant program are in Fall 2025 & Winter 2026.
General Overview
When can I start? Fall 2025 (September) or Winter 2026 (January).
How long is the program?
- 5 quarters (13 months) and 80 credits for the certificate
- 6 quarters (16 months) and 90 credits for the AAS degree
- 6 quarters (16 months) and 95 credits for the AAS-T degree
When do classes meet? Early morning to early afternoons with variances during clinical internships
Are summer classes required? Yes - you will have one required summer quarter.
This program prepares you for employment as a Certified Dental Assistant (CDA). CDAs work in dental offices performing such tasks as four-handed dentistry, bookkeeping, x-rays, sterilization, infection control, and expanded functions. RTC's Dental Assistant program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), a division of the American Dental Association.
You can learn more about the DENT program in our $25 class CCP 045 Bridge to Allied Health and Human Services.
What does a dental assistant do?
What is the average salary?
$51,250 annually Links to an external site. in the Seattle-Bellevue-Tacoma area. Most dental assistants in King County earn at least $37,180.
Who can I contact with questions?
- New students, please visit our Zoom lobby (Links to an external site.) to talk with someone by video chat, or e-mail our advising department.
- For current students, please visit RTC's advising page (Links to an external site and look for the faculty counselor assigned to Dental Assistant.
Overall Materials Needed:
- Access to a functioning laptop or computer (you may use computers on the RTC campus)
- Working internet connection
- Pen and paper
- Personal health insurance (required start of quarter 1)
- Malpractice and general liability insurance ($14.62)
- CastleBranch account Links to an external site. (RR67), including a national criminal background check ($106)
- Physical exam and immunizations Links to an external site.
- Textbooks ($510)
- Clinic and lab supplies ($755)
- Safety and personal protective equipment ($240)
- Uniform ($250)
- ADAA (American Dental Assistants Association) membership ($35)
- Department of Health RDA credential ($40)
A complete supply list will be e-mailed to you after you are admitted to the Dental Assistant program.
All DENT courses must be completed with 2.7 or higher. COL 101, Composition, and General Education for the degree require a minimum GPA of 2.0 for graduation.
Materials Warning
Some materials on this page are listed as TBD, which means that the materials have yet to be determined. Please consult your instructor on what textbooks or materials are required for the class. If you rent a textbook, make sure you return it by the deadline. If you purchase a textbook, you can sell it back to the RTC bookstore -- but make sure that you won't need the book again for classes in the future!
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Quarter 1
Course ID |
Course Name |
Materials |
Credits |
---|---|---|---|
COL 101 | College Success | NO | 2 |
DENT 100 | First Aid, CPR & Vital Signs | YES | 3 |
DENT 101 | Dental Profession | YES | 3 |
DENT 161 or AMATH 190 |
Mathematics or Financial Algebra |
NO | 3 or 5 |
COMP 100 or ENGL& 101 |
Applied Composition or English Composition (required for AAS-T degree) |
NO | 5 |
Quarter 2
Course ID |
Course Name |
Materials |
|
---|---|---|---|
DENT 102 | Pre-Clinical Assisting I | YES | 5 |
DENT 104 | Dental Materials I | YES | 2 |
DENT 133 | Infection Control & Microbiology | no new books | 5 |
DENT 141 | Dental Sciences I | no new books | 3 |
DENT 153 | Radiology I | YES | 3 |
DENT 171 | Interpersonal Communications | no new books | 2 |
Quarter 3
Course ID |
Course Name |
Materials |
Credits |
---|---|---|---|
DENT 112 | Pre-Clinical Assisting II | no new books | 3 |
DENT 114 | Dental Materials II | no new books | 3 |
DENT 134 | Specialties | no new books | 3 |
DENT 138 | Business Administration | YES | 2 |
DENT 145 | Dental Sciences II | no new books | 3 |
DENT 151 | Preventive Dentistry & Nutrition | no new books | 2 |
DENT 154 | Radiology II | no new books | 2 |
Quarter 4
Course ID |
Course Name |
Materials |
Credits |
---|---|---|---|
DENT 103 | Clinical Assisting I | no new books | 6 |
DENT 105 | Expanded Functions | no new books | 3 |
DENT 155 | Radiology III | no new books | 3 |
Quarter 5
Course ID |
Course Name |
Materials |
Credits |
---|---|---|---|
DENT 137 | Laboratory Procedures | no new books | 2 |
DENT 157 | DANB Exam Prep | no new books | 2 |
DENT 191 | Job Seeking Skills | no new books | 1 |
DENT 192 | Internship I | NO | 4 |
DENT 193 | Internship II | NO | 5 |
Certificate of Completion Estimated Total: $14,000 plus the cost of immunizations and health insurance
Quarter 6 for the AAS Degree
Course ID |
Course Name |
Materials |
Credits |
---|---|---|---|
PSYC& 100 or ANTH& 235 |
General Psychology or Cross-Cultural Medicine (both recommended) or other social science |
varies by class | 5 |
NUTR& 101 | Human Nutrition (recommended) or any General Education class |
varies by class | 5 |
AAS Degree Estimated Total: $15,436 plus the cost of immunizations and health insurance
Quarter 6 for the AAS-T Degree
Course ID |
Course Name |
Materials |
Credits |
---|---|---|---|
PSYC& 100 or ANTH& 235 |
General Psychology or Cross-Cultural Medicine (both recommended) or other social science |
varies by class | 5 |
NUTR& 101 | Human Nutrition (recommended) or any General Education class |
varies by class | 5 |
MATH& 107 or MATH& 146 |
Math in Society or Introduction to Statistics |
YES | 5 |
AAS-T Degree Estimated Total: $15,841 plus the cost of immunizations and health insurance
Continue your education! You can choose from applied bachelor programs in healthcare.
Quarter 1
Course ID |
Course Name |
Materials |
Credits |
---|---|---|---|
COL 101 | College Success | NO | 2 |
DENT 100 | First Aid, CPR & Vital Signs | YES | 3 |
DENT 101 | Dental Profession | YES | 3 |
DENT 161 or AMATH 190 |
Mathematics or Financial Algebra |
NO | 3 or 5 |
COMP 100 or ENGL& 101 |
Applied Composition or English Composition (required for AAS-T degree) |
NO | 5 |
Quarter 2
Course ID |
Course Name |
Materials |
|
---|---|---|---|
DENT 102 | Pre-Clinical Assisting I | YES | 5 |
DENT 104 | Dental Materials I | YES | 2 |
DENT 133 | Infection Control & Microbiology | no new books | 5 |
DENT 141 | Dental Sciences I | no new books | 3 |
DENT 153 | Radiology I | YES | 3 |
DENT 171 | Interpersonal Communications | no new books | 2 |
Quarter 3
Course ID |
Course Name |
Materials |
Credits |
---|---|---|---|
DENT 112 | Pre-Clinical Assisting II | no new books | 3 |
DENT 114 | Dental Materials II | no new books | 3 |
DENT 134 | Specialties | no new books | 3 |
DENT 138 | Business Administration | YES | 2 |
DENT 145 | Dental Sciences II | no new books | 3 |
DENT 151 | Preventive Dentistry & Nutrition | no new books | 2 |
DENT 154 | Radiology II | no new books | 2 |
Quarter 4
Course ID |
Course Name |
Materials |
Credits |
---|---|---|---|
DENT 103 | Clinical Assisting I | no new books | 6 |
DENT 105 | Expanded Functions | no new books | 3 |
DENT 155 | Radiology III | no new books | 3 |
Quarter 5
Course ID |
Course Name |
Materials |
Credits |
---|---|---|---|
DENT 137 | Laboratory Procedures | no new books | 2 |
DENT 157 | DANB Exam Prep | no new books | 2 |
DENT 191 | Job Seeking Skills | no new books | 1 |
DENT 192 | Internship I | NO | 4 |
DENT 193 | Internship II | NO | 5 |
Certificate of Completion Estimated Total: $14,000 plus the cost of immunizations and health insurance
Quarter 6 for the AAS Degree
Course ID |
Course Name |
Materials |
Credits |
---|---|---|---|
PSYC& 100 or ANTH& 235 |
General Psychology or Cross-Cultural Medicine (both recommended) or other social science |
varies by class | 5 |
NUTR& 101 | Human Nutrition (recommended) or any General Education class |
varies by class | 5 |
AAS Degree Estimated Total: $15,436 plus the cost of immunizations and health insurance
Quarter 6 for the AAS-T Degree
Course ID |
Course Name |
Materials |
Credits |
---|---|---|---|
PSYC& 100 or ANTH& 235 |
General Psychology or Cross-Cultural Medicine (both recommended) or other social science |
varies by class | 5 |
NUTR& 101 | Human Nutrition (recommended) or any General Education class |
varies by class | 5 |
MATH& 107 or MATH& 146 |
Math in Society or Introduction to Statistics |
YES | 5 |
AAS-T Degree Estimated Total: $15,841 plus the cost of immunizations and health insurance
Continue your education! You can choose from applied bachelor programs in healthcare.
Not quite the career path you want to take? Let's go back to the Program Map!