Mission
The Washtenaw Community College Dental Assisting program provides an American Dental Association accredited, a one-year certificate program that prepares students for entry-level careers in dental assisting. In these positions, graduates will perform the legally delegated duties of the dental assistant according to the Administrative Rules of the Michigan Board of Dentistry.
To achieve this mission, program faculty are committed to the following goals:
- Prepare students to acquire the knowledge and skills required to obtain state licensure as a Registered Dental Assistant.
- Provide a curriculum that prepares students to function as integral members of the dental team.
- Provide the community with dental assistants who have entry-level knowledge and skills.
Philosophy
These commitments reflect the mission of the College, the Dental Assisting (DA) mission, and certain philosophical beliefs concerning the profession of dental assisting, and the education of dental assistants. These beliefs are to:
- Foster high standards of personal conduct as well as ethical and moral responsibility.
- Promote dental assisting as a caring profession which demands that the assistant support, teach, and care for a diverse population in a manner that leads patients to self-care.
- Emphasize that the dental assistant is an integral member of the dental health team, helping to increase patient access to dental care, as well as increasing the productivity and efficiency of dental practices.
- Encourage students to participate in activities offered by their professional organization and engage in community service projects.
- Maintain partnerships with dental practitioners to benefit the DA program faculty and students. These partnerships allow the program faculty to: understand and meet the needs of the dental community as well as integrate current knowledge, procedures, and technology into the program.
- Encourage continuous professional development by engaging in lifelong learning.
- Offer students options for program completion that recognize knowledge and skills developed in on-the-job training at dental offices.