Degree Description
The Dental Assisting program is approved by the South Dakota Board of Dentistry. If you plan to practice outside of South Dakota, you are encouraged to check with the state licensing and certification requirements.
Western Dakota Technical College Learn. Do. Now.
Dental assistants greatly increase the efficiency of the dentist in the delivery of quality oral health care and are valuable members of the dental care team.
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To gain acceptance into the WDT Dental Assisting program, applicants must:
1. Complete WDT application online at www.wdt.edu
2. Submit high school transcript or GED scores.
3. Submit immunization records verifying two doses of MMR vaccinations.
4. Submit official college transcripts if you have previously attended a post-secondary institution.
5. Schedule an Admissions Advising Session (can be completed on campus or by phone).
6. Complete the ACCUPLACER test ($15.00 fee). Call 605-718-2565 to schedule an appointment.
(The ACCUPLACER test will be waived if you have an ACT sub score of 18 or better in English, Math, and Reading, or a SAT sub score of at least 440 in Verbal and Math. The scores must be within the last five years.)
To continue into Dental Assisting clinical, students must submit the following to:
Western Dakota Tech
Attn: Dental Assisting Instructor
800 Mickelson Dr.
Rapid City, SD 57703
1. Provide a copy of current American Heart Association Healthcare Provider AHA-CPR certification*
2. Provide a copy of immunization records (Hepatitis B Series, TB test, COVID-19)*
*Students are responsible for additional costs.
The program lead instructor will assist students with any clinical or internship site requirements.
Note:
If you are or have been convicted, pleaded guilty or no contest to, or received a suspended imposition of sentence for a felony or certain misdemeanors, you are advised that you may not be able to complete all course requirements for your chosen program, you may be prevented from taking required certification/licensure examinations in your chosen program field, and you may be prevented from gaining employment in your program field.
Students that sit out for a spring or fall semester or longer, will return under a new Catalog and may be required to repeat courses or successfully complete new or revised skills or competency assessments. Before readmittance, the program may need to determine if a student is eligible to continue in technical courses. Program sequencing and cohort size may prevent enrollment in technical courses.
Clinicals, practicums, and internships may include, but are not limited to, differential shifts (evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays) to meet industry expectations. This may require travel outside the Rapid City Area.
The Dental Assisting program is approved by the South Dakota Board of Dentistry. Students are encouraged to check with the state licensing and certification requirements they plan to practice, if it is outside out South Dakota.
The dental assistant may work in a private or group practice setting specializing in general dentistry, oral surgery, orthodontics, endodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics, or pedodontics. Dental sales and marketing of products is another career opportunity for the dental assistant. If you have strong communication skills, enjoy working with your hands as well as your mind, and want a career with responsibility, dental assisting is for you.
Professional licensure and certification requirements often vary from state to state. If you are not planning to locate and work in South Dakota and are considering an academic program that leads to a professional license or certification, it is highly recommended that you first seek guidance from the appropriate licensing agency in the state you plan to work before beginning the academic program. If you need assistance locating a state licensing agency, please contact the Vice President for Teaching and Learning: Tiffany.Howe@wdt.edu or 605.718.2905.
Current as of June 3, 2022:
Western Dakota Technical College has a low student-to-faculty ratio, meaning more one-on-one learning. Individual attention from your professor can make your college experience more fulfilling.
Continuing your education is crucial and Western Dakota Tech wants to make sure that any student who wants to attend school, has the opportunity to do so. For this reason, WDT is dedicated to administering the U.S. Department of Education’s Title IV Financial Assistance Program fair and consistently to anyone who needs it.
The Build Dakota Scholarship at Western Dakota Tech will pay all your tuition and fees and prepare you for a career that is in-demand and growing in South Dakota. Build Dakota Scholarships will be awarded to students entering high-need workforce programs at South Dakota’s technical institutes to fill the state’s technical careers with skilled professionals.
While Western Dakota Tech does not offer on-campus housing, we understand that finding a place to live within town while you go to school can be difficult. We have a few resources to help prospective students find affordable housing.
Finding child care during school is a challenge for many students. Western Dakota Tech currently does not offer on-campus child care, but here are some resources that may help you in your search.
Youth & Family Services is an organization dedicated to helping children in Western South Dakota. They offer a variety of services, including child care at multiple locations.
The Y of Rapid City offers child care and other services.
Disclaimer: Western Dakota Tech provides these links to you only as a convenience, and the inclusion of any link does not imply affiliation, endorsement or adoption by Western Dakota Tech of any site or any information contained therein. When you leave wdt.edu, you should be aware that our terms and policies no longer govern. Western Dakota Tech makes no claim or representation regarding, and accepts no responsibility for, the quality, content, nature or reliability of third-party websites or vendors.