Expanded Duty Dental Assisting

Become a dental team member in restorative and specialty dental practices by completing this academic diploma program. Once students complete the coursework, they're required to take the DANB exams as part of the program.

The Expanded Duty Dental Assisting program includes instruction in restorative dentistry and preventive oral care, including:

• Procedures for infection control/sterilization processes.
• Teaching patients oral self-care.
• Preparing for many types of dental restorative and surgical procedures.
• Instrument identification and functions.
• Applying sealants to the grooves of patients’ teeth.
• Taking impressions of teeth.
• Producing diagnostically acceptable dental radiographs (X-rays).
• Polishing teeth and fillings.
• Assisting the dentist during patient treatment.
• Preparing the filling materials.
• Scheduling patients/office management.
• Managing health information.
• Monitoring nitrous oxide and oxygen delivery to patients.

The Expanded Duty Dental Assisting program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association.
Commission on Dental Accreditation
American Dental Association
211 East Chicago Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60611
(312) 440-4653

Graduates are recognized as Expanded Duty Dental Assistants (EDDA) by the SC State Board of Dentistry. Graduates are eligible to be credentialed as Certified Dental Assistants (CDA) upon satisfactory completion of the three examinations administered by the Dental Assisting National Board.

Learning experiences for students in the Expanded Duty Dental Assisting Diploma Program are provided in classrooms and laboratories on the Airport Campus in the Academic Center. Student preclinical and clinical experience is provided in a state-of-the-art dental clinic on the third floor of the Academic Center. Additional required clinical externships are arranged through affiliations with local dentists and dental facilities.

Applications and Notifications

• Special admissions applications for students seeking entry into the Expanded Duty Dental Assisting Program are accepted on an annual basis from current Midlands Technical College Students. Applications are accepted annually from the 15^th of January to the 15^th of May.
• After ensuring students meet all other admissions criteria, the highest ranking 20 students will be admitted into the program based solely on rank against all other applications received for the current entry year using the competitive point’s checklist. Should a student be deemed ineligible after initial acceptance or refuse acceptance into the program, additional applicants may be offered seats in the program based on their ranking.
• Initial notifications, acceptance, or denial into the Expanded Duty Dental Assisting Program will be sent out no earlier than the 30th of May, each calendar year.
• Secondary notifications will only be sent to those students that are offered a seat into the program based on availability if initial seats are not accepted or the student was deemed ineligible. 

Admission Criteria

• Competitive, points-based admissions criteria – See Checklist.
• Completion of all pre-requisite courses required – See pre-requisite courses.
• Acceptable criminal background check and drug screening results
• High school diploma or equivalent

Special Requirements

Students must receive a grade of “C” or better on all Expanded Duty Dental Assisting courses, math, and science courses. Math and science courses must be completed according to the timeframe established for School of Health Care Programs. Students are required to pass a comprehensive examination in each clinical course to continue in the program the following semester. Additionally, they must pass a final comprehensive exit examination to graduate from the program. Students may not repeat Expanded Duty Dental Assisting courses more than once, nor may they progress to the next semester until that course is passed. Students may repeat only two Expanded Duty Dental Assisting courses.

Students are required to purchase and maintain a set of X-ray instruments, dental instruments, dento- forms, laboratory coats, standard uniforms (to include gloves and masks), shoes, name pin, and safety glasses at an approximate cost of $2,000.

Students are encouraged to join the Student American Dental Assistants’ Association and to participate in its scheduled activities, including attendance at the annual meeting of the South Carolina Dental Assistants’ Association. In addition, they are required to participate in scheduled activities, such as visits to elementary schools for dental health educational presentations, and to take three national examinations (ICE, RHS, GC). Students will rotate through private dental offices and clinics in the MTC service area for practical experience in Expanded Duty Dental Assisting. Students will be required to comply with regulations required by off-campus clinical sites, which might include fingerprinting, background checks, and drug screenings.