Dental Assistant

Technical Diploma
Health Sciences Cluster Icon

Why choose Dental Assistant?

  • High demand for employment.
  • You’ll gain confidence with your new skills while receiving practical training at one of our dental office partners.
  • Full-time program with completion in 6 months.
Dental assistants are important members of any dental team. They perform a variety of tasks, from patient care to office and laboratory duties. A typical day may include greeting and seating patients, preparing and sterilizing the room and instruments for treatment, taking dental radiographs, assisting the dentist with procedures, and giving patients post-treatment care instructions.

Program Locations

Family Health Center of Marshfield
1307 North Saint Joseph Avenue
Marshfield, WI 54449
 

What You'll Learn

In this program, you will learn to use dental equipment, expose and process radiographs, assist with dental emergencies, record medical and dental information, maintain a supply inventory, and perform related dental office and laboratory procedures.

Students in the program receive practical training on-site with one of our dental office partners. Hands-on experiences include working with dental practice management software and dental equipment and materials. Students will also operate x-ray units and other digital imaging devices to perform radiographs.

Outcomes

  • Perform a variety of entry-level supportive dental procedures.
  • Manage infection and hazard control. 
  • Produce diagnostic radiographs. 
  • Perform basic dental laboratory procedures. 
  • Demonstrate professional behaviors, ethics, and appearance.

Employability Skills

  • Behave Responsibly: Ethical Behavior, Self-Responsibility, Conflict Resolution, Collaboration
  • Communicate Effectively: Writing, Technical Documentation, Listening, Speaking, Interpersonal Communication, Reading
  • Critical & Creative Thinking: Inquiry, Evidence Collection, Analysis, Reasoning, Reflection (Metacognition)
  • Cultural, Social, & Global Awareness: Global Awareness, Social & Cultural Awareness, Social Responsibility
  • Use Appropriate Technology: Use of Technology, Confidentiality, Security, Digital Civility

Learn more about employability skills at Mid-State.

Estimated Entire Program Cost

Cost based on the 2024/25 academic year.

  • Tuition & Fees: $3,008.27
  • Books: $289.43
  • Supplies, Uniforms, and/or Exams: $102.35
  • Total Estimated Cost: $3,400.05

Financial Aid Eligibility

This program is eligible for prorated Financial Aid based on length of program and/or number of credits. Aid may not be enough to cover all program costs.

Other funding partners for Mid-State’s Dental Assistant program are the Delta Dental of Wisconsin Foundation and the Mid-State Foundation & Alumni.

Cost of Attendance

Learn more about Cost of Attendance, an estimated budget that includes categories of expenses a student can expect to incur while attending. 

This course has options available to receive credit for prior learning (CPL) or work experience.

Term: 1
  Catalog# Title Credits
  31508301 Dental Health Safety 1
  31508302 Dental Chairside 5
  31508303 Dental Materials 2
  31508304 Dental & General Anatomy 2
  31508305 Applied Dental Radiography 2
  31508306 Dental Assistant Clinical 3
  31508307 Dental Assistant Professional 1
  Term Total   16 Credits
       
  Program Total   16 Credits

Instructors

DAYNE OERTEL, AAS, RDH

Dayne is a registered dental hygienist with an associate degree in dental hygiene from Northcentral Technical College. She also holds Basic Life Support certification and Wisconsin Technical College teaching certification. A former Central Wisconsin co-liaison for the American Dental Hygiene Association, Dayne’s teaching draws on 34 years of dental experience. She has worked in clinical hygiene, office management, hygiene management, and education. Her teaching experience includes 16 years as an adjunct clinical instructor at Northcentral Technical College. Prior to joining Mid-State she was also a Central Wisconsin Professional Educator on behalf of WaterpikTM.

“I’m a proud lifelong learner with a passion for everything in the dental field. As a manager, I saw the need for this Dental Assistant program to meet the workforce needs in our rural communities, and I chose to teach at Mid-State to ensure we have enough clinicians in the dental community. I believe that my role as educator combines being a role model, mentoring, and providing coaching to inspire others to love this profession as much as I do.”

Careers

  • Dental Assistant
  • Orthodontic Assistant

Fast-Track

High school students are eligible to enroll in this program and all courses required. Learn more about Mid-State Fast-Track.

“The instructors are great. They are encouraging and always want to see their students succeed—they’re proud when they see students achieving their goals.”

JODILYNN FEIT
GRADUATE

Choose Your Path

Career pathways help you take your education one step at a time to maximize your investment and make college fit your life. Earn a credential and start using it in the workforce. Continue with another stack of related courses to gain a more advanced diploma or degree. Explore this program’s pathway in the graphic below. For an even quicker first step to a degree or diploma, check out our short-term certificates.

TransferDual CreditCredit for Prior Learning

Dental Assistant Pathway