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Title

Dental Assisting

Intro

The knowledge and clinical practice you need to write your exams and begin a rewarding career. Dental assistants work closely with dentists and patients, cleaning and polishing teeth, taking digital dental X-rays, administering sedation and more.

Degrees

Dental Assisting

Degree:

Associate of Applied Science (AAS)

The Dental Assisting program provides the knowledge necessary for the dental assistant to assist in performing general clinical assisting...

Location:

Moorhead Campus

Credits:

Dental Assisting

Degree:

Diploma

The Dental Assisting program provides the knowledge necessary for the dental assistant to assist in performing general clinical assisting...

Location:

Moorhead Campus

Credits:

Overview

Program Overview

Gain the knowledge and hands-on skills experience to work closely and confidently with dentists during direct patient care, including diagnostic, preventative and operative procedures. General education and biomedical and dental science courses are coupled with on-campus labs and off-campus clinical affiliations in general, community and specialty dental practice to prepare you to write the Dental Assisting National Board Certification Exam, Minnesota State Board of Dentistry Licensure Exam, and Minnesota Board of Dentistry Jurisprudence Exam.

You’ll learn to:

Perform dental lab procedures
Provide expanded functions authorized by the Minnesota Board of Dentistry, such as taking digital dental X-rays, polishing teeth, placing dental sealants, fabricating temporary crowns, administering nitrous oxide sedation and orthodontic duties
Manage business office responsibilities, such as appointment scheduling and billing procedures

Accreditation

See program accreditation details at Accreditation.

Related Programs

You may also be interested in our Health Sciences Broad Field Transfer Pathway, Associate Degree Nursing program, or Practical Nursing diploma program.

Scholarships/Cost

M State has one of the lowest tuition rates in Minnesota, and thanks to grants, scholarships and sponsorships, more than half of all M State students have a completely tuition-free experience.

Learn all about our low tuition rates and fees at Detailed Cost. To explore financial aid options, visit Paying for College. We also offer Zero Textbook Cost programs and courses, which can save you substantial money on books; learn more at Z-Degrees.

Program Cost Estimate

Dental Assisting (AAS)

Dental Assisting Diploma

Foundation Scholarships

M State's two foundations award more than $280,000 in student scholarships each year. You may be eligible — learn more at Foundations.

Workforce Development Scholarships

More than 40 programs at M State offer Workforce Development Scholarships to new students. See if your program is eligible and apply at Workforce Development Scholarships.

Business and Industry Sponsorships

M State collaborates with local businesses to offer valuable student support, such as financial assistance, internships, part-time jobs and full-time career opportunities. Find details at Business and Industry Partner Sponsorships.

Sample Classes

Meet the Faculty

Sarah Desjarlais

Dental Hygiene Faculty

sarah.desjarlais@minnesota.edu

Robin Peltier

Dental Program Director

robin.peltier@minnesota.edu

Crystal Shumake

Dental Faculty

crystal.shumake@minnesota.edu

Sydney Stoa

Dental Hygiene Faculty

sydney.stoa@minnesota.edu

Student Stories

Kennedy Fischer Dental Assisting student, in uniform in class

Meet Kennedy

"I love the atmosphere here! Every time we walk in, it’s a fun time. We get to do a lot of cool things; we have a lot of speakers who come in and talk to us, we get to take X-rays, and we’ve been to Mission of Mercy, where we helped people who can’t afford dental care."

Read Kennedy's story

Additional Details

Our Associate of Applied Science degree programs make it possible for you to seamlessly transfer to a four-year college or university to pursue an advanced degree. There are many advantages of beginning your postsecondary studies at M State, including cost savings due to our low tuition rate and smaller class sizes with personalized instruction. Learn more about your transfer options at Transfer Programs and Pathways.

Facilities

Explore 360 views of where you'd learn, study, test and practice in this M State program:

A 360 image of a dental assisting classroom

How to Apply

The Dental Assisting program has some special requirements for admission. You can apply by following these four easy steps:

Apply to M State
Review the Dental Assisting program admission requirements
Complete the Dental Assisting program application (fall 2025 application will be available through May 15, 2025)
Review the Dental Assisting Application Assessment

Dental Assisting

Program Overview

Accreditation

Related Programs

Scholarships/Cost

Program Cost Estimate

Foundation Scholarships

Workforce Development Scholarships

Business and Industry Sponsorships

Sample Classes

Meet the Faculty

Student Stories

Additional Details

Facilities

How to Apply

News and Stories from M State

Get Started at M State!