Dental Assisting

Registered Dental Assistants (RDAs) make great hygienists. If you’re interested in continuing your education to become a Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH), you get more points in the application process if you have worked as an RDA. College of the Redwoods offers the pre-requisites that allow you to work in the field as you go to school.

Dental Assistant students participate in a wide variety of hands-on activities, and begin providing actual patient care in October with licensed dentists at the Dental Health Center located on the Eureka campus. 

Additionally, during the spring semester students have the opportunity to participate in an internship in a private practice, specialty practices, or in a federal/state clinic. Students are expected to wear a uniform daily and develop specialized skills necessary to be an employable chairside assistant in a professional setting. 

All students will be trained for both front desk and back office, and for general dentistry periodontics, orthodontics, endodontics, and oral surgery.

Assisting in the following types of dental practices:

• General/Clinic
• Periodontic
• Orthodontic
• Endodontic
• Oral surgery
• Prosthodontic
• Pediatric

Our Dental Assisting Program is the only nationally accredited and state approved community college program north of Santa Rosa and Sacramento. Graduates of the two-semester program qualify to take the Dental Board of California examination for state licensure as a Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) and the Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) examination offered through the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB), which means upon successful completion, you’ll be qualified to work as a dental assistant anywhere!

In addition to applying for the College, students must also apply and be accepted into the Dental Assisting Program. Applications are open from February 1st – August 1^st each year and the program begins each fall, requiring full-time students to be enrolled both fall and spring semesters.  The program fills up early and acceptance is “first come, first served”. Apply early!

For more information regarding course sequences and curriculum refer to the current Catalog under “Degrees and Certificates”.

View Program Application 

Uniforms, textbooks, and a lab kit with dental specific supplies are required.  Students accepted in the Dental Assisting Program will pay registration fees, as well as an extra $2,200 for the required items.  Students should prepare for a total cost of $4,000 for the Dental Assisting Program.

Additionally, licensure and certification exam fees and travel to the exam sites are not included in this figure.  More information will be provided upon acceptance into the program.